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CIAA better placed than CBI

KATHMANDU, JAN 17 - Nepal’s corruption control body, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) is in better position than its Indian counterpart Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the latter has no constitutional status that the former enjoys.This was stated by former director of the CBI Joginder Singh today while speaking at an informal talk programme organised at the CIAA office. "Being the members of an independent constitutional bodies, you are in better position to curb corruption," Singh told the CIAA officials. "You don’t have any sanctions in prosecuting anybody you want, but we can not do that."He, however, said that constitutional recognition alone would not be enough to curb corruption and abuse of authority without proper training to the prosecutors and appropriate equipment. "Even highly competent employees cannot perform effectively due to the lack of essential tools like computers," said Singh.
On the occasion, Singh explained political pressures exerted on CBI, mainly due to its status as a government agency. "Sometimes pressures come from as high as the prime minister," Singh said, citing an infamous fodder scam in which prime minister himself asked him to let the accused scot-free.
"I was threatened to be dismissed from my job," said Singh, who was removed from office prior to his normal term due to some differences with the political leadership. "But I took it easily and told them to do whatever they could." However, the situation in India has also improved after his tenure as the Indian Supreme Court has barred the government from sacking the CBI director before his normal tenure of two years.Posted on: 2004-01-18 02:42

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