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The Rediff Interview/Joginder Singh

'Bofors should be taken to its logical conclusion'

Joginder Singh's latest book, Inside CBI, is already making waves. The book hit the capital's bookstands last week and the initial sales reports have been encouraging. The former director of India's premier investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, discusses his memoirs with Onkar Singh.

I K Gujral's supporters say you have been harsh to him because the then prime minister refused to give you an extension?

During my entire career spanning 36 and a half years, I have not asked for anything for myself. Why should I ask for an extension at the end of my career? I had never asked anyone for an extension from anyone, leave alone asking I K Gujral for one. I have made a statement and so far the former prime minister has not reacted to it.

If he thinks I am saying something which is not true, then let him say so. I have not deviated a sentence from the conversation I had with him. This is something which transpired between two persons. You can take it or leave it.

The impression is that you have been harsh to him because Deve Gowda, the former prime minister and your mentor, did not like Gujral. Is it true?

India is a free country where everyone is free to hold his or her opinion. I have not deliberately selected Gujral for mention. If he had not made that statement about Laloo Yadav, I would not have put it in my book. As far as Deve Gowda is concerned, let me clarify that his likes or dislikes have nothing to with my writing. I have not spared him either.

I said in my book that there was a joke going around in the powers of corridors that he was the superchief minister of Karnataka with additional charge as the prime minister of India. I have said that he made as many as 28 trips to Karnataka during his tenure as prime minister in less then an year.

There are allegations that you referred to certain confidential files while writing your book.

I have written the book on the basis of notes made by me during my tenure as CBI director. Most of the matter had been reported by the press rather accurately. I am talking more about what behind the scenes in the CBI. Something which is not written in files. If you want to write a book about any subject then you have to merely arrange the press clippings on the said subject in systematic order and when you write you would come out with an almost true picture on the concerned subject.

Aren't you giving the press too much of credit?

The newsmen I must say have their own way of getting information. Even Cabinet notes, notes by ministers on certain files have been printed by the media.

While releasing the book you said some TMC ministers wanted to you investigate non-existent cases against Jayalalitha. Would you like to name the TMC minister?

I have not pointed out to anyone in particular. I did not say it was a TMC minister. All I said was a minister from the South wanted the CBI to look into some cases against Jayalalitha. She had already declared her wealth under an amnesty scheme and the then central government had accepted her version. The Tamil Nadu government also wrote that the cases against Jayalalitha should be investigated. We in the CBI are not meant to level political scores.

Sukh Ram says he was implicated in a false case by the CBI. Is that true?

Let Sukh Ram say what he wants to. We did not invent a case against him. In fact, the CBI had the case with it for more than 15 months before I came on to the scene. I only took over from there. He can say anything, but will he explain how come he had so much of money stashed away in his house? Certainly we did not have that kind of money to put in his house and then recover it.

The government of the day co-operated with us and we were able to force him to come back to India from London where he had sneaked out just before the raids. At least in his case there were no hidden pressures.

Why is the Bofors case still unsolved?

I cannot say anything about what is happening now. I had brought sizeable information from Switzerland. I had promised that the investigation would be completed within three months, but typing took a little longer. I sent the report to the Government of India in May 1997. What I said in the report I am not entitled to say even one word. All I can say is Bofors should be taken to its logical conclusion.

When did you start writing the book and how much time did you take to complete it?

I began writing this book immediately after my retirement in 1997. In fact I must confess here that I started taking notes while I was still in office. The book has been written not with a view to find a fault with someone but to give the people of India an inside view of what goes on in the premier investigating agency of the country. It took me about six months to write the book.

Why a book in two parts --- Inside CBI I &II? Is it a sales gimmick?

This has nothing to do with sales. If I had put down all what I had in just one book it would have crossed more than 600 pages. CBI II will deal with what my predecessors have to say about the organisation. I may include the comments of some present officers, if they come forward to share their experiences with me.

Your ex-colleagues call you a paper tiger, more interested in writing books than investigation?

I don't think anyone in the CBI can say I am a paper tiger. It is the press which gave me the title of Tiger Joginder Singh. What job I did during my tenure is for people to see and judge.

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