The Hindu : Front Page : No political interference in CBI: Manmohan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

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Front Page

No political interference in CBI: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday reiterated his Government's "solemn commitment" that it would never interfere in the professional work of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Applauds CBI

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for a Rs. 134-crore, multistorey building here to house the agency's headquarters, he applauded the CBI for its efficiency and impartiality and expected it to achieve "total transparency and objectivity" through hard work.

Appealing to political parties and citizens to adopt a policy of "zero tolerance" towards corruption, he said the CBI should aggressively pursue all cases against corrupt elements without fear or favour.

Suggest improvements

He wanted the CBI to suggest improvements to government systems, procedures, rules and regulations to help to reduce corruption in public life.

Asked whether the Government exerted pressure on the CBI to defreeze the London bank accounts of Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, a key accused in the Rs. 64-crore Bofors payoffs case, Dr. Singh told mediapersons: "I have clarified my stand earlier. There has been no political interference."

On Monday, he said in Guwahati that his Government had never interfered with the CBI in matters of investigation and in defreezing the accounts.

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