A woman from Unnao who was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was critically injured and two of her relatives killed Sunday when a truck collided with the car she was travelling in. As outrage over the incident grew, Yogi Adityanath-led UP government recommended a CBI probe into the incident Monday.
ThePrint asks: Unnao crash with CBI: Why do people prefer ‘caged parrot’ instead of the state police?
State-controlled CID & district police are ineffective. CBI is the only option
Ranjit Sinha
Former CBI Director
The Unnao case is being handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) because it is one of the few investigative agencies, which is free of political control.
The state-controlled Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is almost ineffective now. Same is the case with the district police, which has suffered due to repeated political interference.
Earlier all cases for investigation were sent to the CID, but with no one trusting the agency now, the only option is the CBI.
People have faith in the CBI because it is regarded as an impartial and objective authority – it is essentially a central organisation, which is beyond the reach of local politicians. It has officers from different cadres.
It is important to note that at the senior level, IPS officers are just as good as CBI officers. Therefore, the problem of is not with the officers but the political interference and the facilities available to each agency.
Since the district police is involved in responding to daily law and order issues, it has no time to investigate cases.
In terms of infrastructure, the CBI can also access facilities such as central forensic science laboratory for investigation, which the state police cannot. This adds to the trust and faith people have in CBI investigations.
Also read: UP govt seeks CBI probe into Unnao rape survivor’s road accident
CBI’s credibility stands compromised, it can hardly be expected to do a fair job
Dr. S.T. Ramesh
Former DG & IGP, Karnataka
There is hardly any institution in our country today, which can be called independent and credible. And, this particularly holds true for all state police forces and investigating agencies.
Politicisation of the police forces is complete and no citizen can hope to get justice. A few decades ago, the CBI enjoyed credibility, but that stands compromised now, just like any other state police.
Why then is the Unnao crash case being handed over to the CBI? Judging from the way the series of sordid events involving the Unnao MLA have unfolded since 2017, it appears that the political leadership at the state and at the Centre has no intention of dealing with the MLA in a comprehensive manner, both politically and through criminal prosecution.
By transferring the case to the CBI, the government can claim that it has ensured a fair investigation. But the CBI, which is known to have pliable officers and political favourites, can hardly be expected to do a fair job. The strategy of pulling wool over people’s eyes will not work this time. But the government seems to believe that it can ride on the old reputation of the CBI by highlighting its independent nature, which is a myth.
People have nowhere to go and prefer the ‘caged parrot’ over others as they think it still offers them a glimmer of hope.
Also read: Unnao teen wrote to CJI Gogoi on 12 July saying she was ‘threatened judge will be bought’
Deep politicisation has corroded state police’s efficiency, resulting in people losing faith in them
Vappala Balachandran
Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat
State police, especially in Uttar Pradesh, has been suffering from poor credibility due to politicisation, corruption and professional inefficiency.
To quote the late N.S. Saksena, one of the most respected senior police officers from UP, this slide started from 1972-1973 when the inept political leadership mishandled the 1972 Engineers’ Strike, which paralysed the state administration. This was followed by another blow, which shattered the police morale. In May 1973, the Provincial Armed Constabulary mutinied against what they felt was injustice meted out to them by the poor police leadership. The administration handled it with great force – several police personnel were killed.
The 1992 Babri Masjid demolition shattered its image further, resulting in total communal polarisation in India. The police abdicated their legal responsibility of maintaining law and order as then-chief minister Kalyan Singh forbade any preventive action.
A similar situation can be seen in most other states where deep politicisation has corroded police efficiency, resulting in people losing their faith in police. In contrast, the CBI still enjoys better credibility despite the open leadership feuds.
Without political interference, state police can be better at detection & investigation of crimes
T.P. Senkumar
Former State Police Chief of Kerala
Despite all its failures, people believe that the CBI, like the Army and other security forces, is less affected by political interference. It is also better equipped to deal with a scientific investigation.
However, it is important to note that without political interference, the state police could be better at detection and investigation of crimes, like the one that happened in Unnao.
In the CBI, if the director wants, s/he can ensure a 100 per cent free and fair investigation. Given the victim’s lack of faith in state police, it is better that the CBI is handling this case.
It is good that the government acted fast in transferring the case to the CBI so that the evidence is not tampered with and the witnesses are not threatened. When it is alleged that a powerful political person may influence the case, it is always better to give the investigation to an agency outside their direct influence.
The sad part is that the local police may also come to same conclusions, but its findings may not convince the victim and the public.
On skills & degree of separation from political influence, CBI gives greater confidence to stakeholders
A.N. Roy
Former DGP, Maharashtra
The regular and vocal demand for transfer of investigations to the CBI in serious and sensitive crimes is only natural.
The CBI is a specialist agency with high-quality professionals as against the state police, which is involved with everyday issues.
The CBI is also regarded as politically neutral unlike the state police, which is seen as more vulnerable to multiple levels of political influence.
State police has competent investigators but some recent examples of state agencies sabotaging cases, as seen in Kathua and Unnao, have raised serious doubts over its intent and capability.
When it comes to skills and the degree of separation from political influence, the CBI definitely gives greater confidence to stakeholders. The state police leadership has often shot itself in the foot – a top cop addressed a rape accused as “mananiya vidhayakji”.
The CBI’s credibility has no doubt suffered severe damage, but on most routine crimes, it delivers.
The long-term solution lies in placing institutional safeguards to insulate state investigating machinery from political influence. It is easier said than done, but the police leadership has a lot to answer.
Yogi govt’s willingness to transfer the case to CBI is a message that it has nothing to hide
AP Singh
Former CBI Director
The main reason why people prefer the CBI over the state police is largely because of the common perception: that the state police is usually influenced by political authorities and it won’t conduct a fair or impartial investigation. On the other hand, the CBI is immune to influence by local leaders.
It is important to note in the Unnao case that it is just a request, which stems from the belief that the police officers conducting the investigation could be biased. A forensic examination needs to be conducted to find out whether the crash was truly an accident. While the state authorities have all the necessary facilities to ascertain the truth, it all boils down to their actions giving rise to suspicion.
Even the Yogi Adityanath government is sending out a message by requesting the CBI to take over the case: that it is open to a free and fair investigation, and has nothing to hide. There might be certain cases about which it could be said that the CBI faces some political pressure, but the agency never succumbs to it. It is the job of the CBI director to ensure that all investigations are conducted in a proper and professional manner.
By Revathi Krishnan, journalist at ThePrint
Surprising that one of the contributors to this debate is Ranjit Sinha, who himself is being investigated by the CBI, for his actions as a political stooge in favour of certain industrialists.
Once upon a time, that may have been the case. Today one cannot be certain.