Vyapam scam: Can CBI, ‘a caged parrot’, bring the guilty to book?

Given the control of the Centre on the CBI, can the Opposition really expect an impartial probe into the Vyapam scam that has so far seen over 30 deaths.

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Given the control of the Centre on the CBI, can the Opposition really expect an impartial probe into the Vyapam scam that has so far seen over 30 deaths.

The Supreme Court ruling to hand over the Vyapam case and the series of deaths related to it to the CBI is seen as major victory by the Opposition. But will the ruling bring any difference to the investigation of the agency which was termed ‘a caged parrot’ by the same court a couple of years ago?

The independence of the CBI has always remained one of the most debatable issues, but has always been avoided by those who matter the most. So why this obsession for a CBI probe in every scandal?

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From the high profile murder mystery of Aarushi to Nithari killings and the horrific 1984 anti-Sikh riots to the Bofors scam, the CBI has a history of failing to nab the culprit. And the agency has often been criticised for its failure to function impartially.

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Even former directors of the CBI admit that the agency was subjected to political influence, irrespective of which party happened to be in power at the time.

“The political class will never give independence to the CBI,” former director Joginder Singh had once said in an interview to Reuters.

It has also been alleged that the CBI is misused by the party at the Centre for political vendetta. During the previous Congress regime, the then main opposition, BJP, alleged that the government had threatened Mayawati to back FDI in retail even though she on record had opposed it.

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In an another case, just two days after the DMK pulled out of UPA government in March 2013, CBI agents raided the home of a party leader, in connection with a tax evasion case.

Even when the BJP was in power from 1999-2004, it was also accused of using the CBI for its own benefit.

The Congress on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court decision saying the country’s faith in judiciary has increased. But given the control of the Centre on the CBI, can they really expect an impartial probe into the Vyapam scam that has so far seen over 30 deaths. And if not, what will be their next demand over this ‘killer scam’?