The Useless CBI

File on former RAW chief missing from CBI records

PTI | New Delhi

The CBI has admitted that a file pertaining to investigations into the allegations of siphoning of secret funds of Research and Analysis Wing by one its former chiefs during his tenure has gone missing.

The agency, replying to an RTI query filed by another former RAW official, has said that the file is not 'traceable' prompting him to move a special CBI court here which has directed the agency to give a 'status report' on the investigations.

Former RAW official R K Yadav has filed an RTI application seeking details of action taken on his complaint to CBI nine years ago against former chief of the snooping agency A K Verma in which he had alleged large-scale corruption by him and amassing of properties disproportionate to known sources of income.

The CBI, in its RTI reply, said the "matter regarding disproportionate assets allegedly acquired by A K Verma was notconsidered worthwhile to enquire since Verma had retired way back in 1990. However, the file is not traceable now."

Yadav pleaded before the special court here that the CBI be directed to provide details of the case and investigations carried by it on the allegations levelled by him against the top official of India's external intelligence agency. Special Judge Pradeep Chaddah said,"Mr Tamta (counsel for Yadav) states that at least status report can be sought from the CBI regarding complaints which had been made to them and he is not seeking directions to investigate. I allow his request."

In his plea before the special judge, Yadav alleged he had filed a complaint with the then Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal and the then Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, R K Raghavan in 1999 who had appointed an Investigation Officer R N
Azad for the case.

Yadav said after initial enquiry in the matter nothing was heard from CBI so he called up Azad to know about the status of the probe. He was informed by Azad that the matter was dealt with by higher authorities.

Meanwhile, he filed the RTI application to know the status of the case in which he was informed that the file was not traceable.

Here we have a genuine problem.
When the prime inspection agency of the country cannot locate its own files, who should the common man turn to.
If they did concientiously the task for which the CBI was formed, instead of jumping like dogs to the command of politicians and the central government this type of thing would never have occurred.