No one high and mighty was spared in 2G probe: CBI Director

No one high and mighty was spared in the 2G telecom spectrum case, outgoing CBI chief A P Singh said today, rejecting suggestions of any political interference in the agency's dealing with high profile cases.

No one high and mighty was spared in the 2G telecom spectrum case, outgoing CBI chief A P Singh said on Wednesday, rejecting suggestions of any political interference in the agency's dealing with high profile cases.

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"No. I don't think so. Because we were monitored by the Supreme Court. They were watching every move that we were making. Some matters are still pending for letter rogatory. When the letters rogatory comes, we will review all these issues."

Singh, who is demitting office on Friday, was responding to a question on whether high profile people could not be made accused in the 2G allocation case.

Responding to questions about political interference in the working of CBI, Singh said there is absolutely no political interference in the investigations under CBI.

"In an investigation, we are only answerable to the trial court. Nobody can give us any directions. Only cases where the Supreme Court is monitoring, the High Court is monitoring, are we under pressure, but no political person can tell us what needs to be done," he told PTI.

The director said people are totally free to investigate and come to their own conclusions.

"CBI is totally insulated from political interference. Our officers work absolutely free and impartially. I give examples and in so many cases, even in the 2G case, there have been so many difference in opinions, and the difference in opinion arises because everybody writes what they feel. If there is no difference in opinions, it will always be what director decides," he said.

About the organisational challenges faced by the agency during his tenure, Singh said lack of state-of the art forensic laboratory remains a major lacunae in the agency.

"State-of-the-art forensic laboratory is a must. We are very weak. In the Bhanwari Devi case, we had to send the bones to FBI. Then there are so many issues like LR, shortage of manpower. When I joined it was 20%, now its 12%, but still needs (attention)," he said.

Singh said he never really got a chance to look into organisational matters because from day one he was busy with probe in scams.

"There have been a lot of challenges; CBI needs to be made into a multi-disciplinary agency. There is a need to attract people from other agencies with expertise areas. There has to be a change in the structuring of CBI," he said.

On the coal block allocations which was another major scam which was investigated by the agency during his tenure, Singh said slow progress is because of the lack of sufficient manpower to handle probes in scams which is spread over three ministries and 142 companies.

"It is in process of verification. There are 142 companies in the first phase and another 50 companies in the second phase. All documents need to be collected. There are three ministries involved and state governments involved. Its a mammoth task. We have not been able to give them enough manpower to do it. So it will take time, but things will happen," Singh said.

About the criticism of CBI turning into IPS driven organisation with bleak prospects for the officials inducted at DSP level, Singh refused to comment saying the agency was following the existing government policy.