We must acknowledge that our law-enforcing agencies are by and large independent ( >Editorial, Jan.1 ). Irrespective of which party is in power, however, the bending of rules became the norm whenever there was a political angle. Morality in public life was at its height in governments formed just after Independence. One can cite instances of Ministers like Lal Bahadur Shastri stepping down from the Ministry after a train accident, and T.T. Krishnamachari promptly resigning after an inquiry. Those days are gone. Whether the State police or the CBI has to submit to the will of the ruling party, we can only hope the extent of such submission will be within the limits.
S. Rajagopalan,
Chennai
It does not require a master’s degree in investigation to understand the pressures on the agency when it is investigating the possible involvement of a high- profile politician of the calibre of Amit Shah in the encounter case. At this juncture, the credibility of not only the CBI but also that of the present government is at stake; it came to power riding on the back of lofty promises. One can empathise with the officials of the CBI who are not allowed to perform their duties diligently and without political interference.
G.B. Sivanandam,
Coimbatore
Often, the country’s topmost investigating agency finds itself on the mat for its slackness and the unprofessional way of filing cases and then investigating them. The case of Mr. Shah has exposed all these weaknesses. If a case filed by the CBI is lost on technical grounds, it can be excused. But political motives being attributed to the CBI in the case of Amit Shah should be viewed as a serious issue and it calls for stern action against all those involved in filing the case.
M. Somasekhar Prasad,
Badvel, Andhra Pradesh
It is pertinent that the Sohrabuddin case was handed over to the CBI by the Supreme Court. Unless and until the top court finds prima facie evidence in a particular case and lapses on the part of the state investigating agency at least to some extent, it would have never been inclined to refer the matter to the CBI. Anyhow, the court’s order impinges on the great expectations placed on the CBI.
M. Xavier,
Vallioor, Tamil Nadu
