Why CBI does a good job when there's no political overtone to a case, asks CJI Ranjan Gogoi

NEW DELHI: Why is that whenever there is no political overtone to a case, the CBI does a good job, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked at a lecture organised by the agency on Tuesday.

Delivering the 18th edition of the DP Kohli memorial lecture, organised after a gap of two years, Gogoi minced no words in pointing out the flaws and strengths of the agency and offered advice for the way forward.

"True, in a number of high-profile and politically sensitive cases, the agency has not been able to meet the standards of judicial scrutiny.

Equally true it is that such lapses may not have happened infrequently," he said.

Such instances reflect systemic issues and indicate a deep mismatch between institutional aspirations, organisational design, working culture, and governing politics, he said.

"Why is that whenever there are no political overtones to the case, the CBI does a good job.

A reverse situation led to the celebrated case of Vineet Narain vs UoI, wherein the SC, expressing concern at the state of affairs, laid down explicit guidelines for protecting the integrity of the force," he said.