Selection of Ranjit Sinha as Director was Faulty: Former CBI Chief

PC Sharma spoke out against Ranjit Sinha; the latter is currently being probed in the coal scam case.

Former CBI Chief Ranjit Sinha at a press conference. (Photi: PTI)

Selection of Ranjit Sinha as CBI director was “faulty” even when courts had made negative remarks against him, former CBI chief PC Sharma said on 31 May.

The former director’s selection was very faulty. People knew his past background. People even knew about court’s observation in his case. Oral observations were made about him (by the courts)... Yet he was inducted as Director CBI.

PC Sharma, Director of CBI 2001–2003

Sinha, a controversial CBI chief, is being probed in connection with the coal scam case.

He said it was necessary to shame the corrupt officers, irrespective of whether he is a constable or a director as it must reach the authorities who make “mistake” in selecting officers.

We talk about independent processes. No matter how rigorous and independent the process of selection is, but if the man at the top is not the right kind of a person he can shame the entire organisation. But if you have the right kind of a person, he can cast the organisation in his own image.

PC Sharma, Director of CBI 2001–2003

He, however, said CBI was not the “fall guy” as perceived by many people in the country.

The agency can do “still better” with an impartial selection of its top officers including the director, Sharma said.

Talking about general “ignorance” about the functioning of CBI, he said that most people did not know how the agency worked which was there in its manual and anybody could read it.

Sharma also rejected the idea of an “internal cadre” for the central agency, saying a mix of officers from different fields suited the nature of work which entailed investigation of pan-India cases.