It is good to see the corrupt politicians being pursued, except that when they are selectively investigated, that means misuse of law for political purposes.
With a powerful and muscular government at the Centre, the central investigation agencies and regulators have been in the news regularly, whether it be regarding investigation of delinquents like Jet Airways, Bhushan Steel, Chanda Kochhar, ILFS, DHFL etc. or questioning of senior opposition politicians like D. Shiva Kumar, Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Raj Thackerey etc.
These agencies and authorities include the likes of CBI, ED, ITD, SFIO, MCA, SEBI and are under the direct control of the Central Government, which explains as to why they are so active these days. While their investigation of corporate crimes like ILFS does not attract any allegations of witch-hunting, bias or partiality, that has not been so when it concerns investigation of politicians, where it is often alleged that they are done to settle political scores.
While the CBI, which is the police agency of the Central Government has always been in the news as pursuing the political agenda of the party in power at the Centre, it was not so much alleged in respect of other agencies like the ITD, SFIO etc. But times have changed and it is widely alleged and perceived that all central investigation agencies are pursuing cases for the political objectives and convenience of the party in power ie. the BJP and their domain expertise is being collectively utilised for that purpose.
While the authority and expertise of the CBI is in respect of crimes, that of the ED relates to money laundering and FEMA violations, of the ITD in respect of tax evasion, money laundering, benami transaction etc., the SFIO for banking and financial crimes by corporate the MCA regarding corporate violations and malpractices and the SEBI regarding violations in the stock and capital markets.
While it is heartening to see these investigations agencies in hot pursuit of corporate criminals like in the case of ILFS, Jet Airways etc., it is also good to see the corrupt politicians being pursued, except that when they are selectively investigated, that means misuse of law for political purposes.
In recent times there have been radical changes in the functioning and operations of these agencies and it is worth a review.
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