EXECUTIVE INFLUENCE AND INVESTIGATIVE INTERDEPENDENCE: USE AND MISUSE OF CENTRAL AGENCIES AGAINST CORRUPTION CASES

ABSTRACT The Central Agencies(CAs) became a tool of political harassment by the ruling regime against opposition members, the press, etc., to suppress voices raising against the government. The problem lies in the formation, working and functioning of these Agencies. The authors find merit in the statement made by Justice R M Lodha about unfavourable impression of the CAs in general perception, especially CBI, that it is “caged parrot speaking in master's voice”, discuss various cases to reach the conclusion that CAs are indeed misused by all ruling governments from time to time to secure their political objectives. It also identifies the unwillingness of the ruling Government to let this parrot fly from its cage, and its willingness to train and empower this parrot to speak in its voice to settle its political score. And for that purpose, the government has continuously flouted every judicial directive and direction given by the Courts, and recommendations given by various commissions and committees. The CAs thus emerged as a threat to the federal structure of India and a tool to intimidate and harass the State Government, which has a different Party government from the Centre. This Paper is explanatory in nature and tries to identify the problems associated with the working and functioning of CAs, especially CBI, CVC and ED, the control exercised by the government on them and the possible misuse of these Agencies by the government authorities, specifically in corruption cases. It explores the possible solutions of this problem. Keywords – Corruption, Central Investigating Agencies, CVC, CBI, ED.