Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

I also extend a warm welcome to the Hon’ble Minister of State for Personnel and Training for gracing this occasion with his presence. I also welcome the other high dignitaries on the dais.

I also take this opportunity to welcome the distinguished Heads of State Anti-Corruption Bureaux from all over the country with whom we look forward to having mutually beneficial interactions during this XV Conference of the State ACBx and CBI.

Corruption is a high-gain low-risk activity. The globalization of the economy has also resulted in the globalization of corruption. This has brought about the urgent need for intensifying cooperation and coordination amongst the Anti-Corruption agencies in India—primarily the State ACBx and the CBI. This Conference is geared towards promoting professionalism and efficiency in the combat against corruption. The Conference is also structured to exploring modalities and avenues to strengthening the combat against corruption and by examining subtle legal issues involving corruption. It will be our endeavour to help evolve a holistic multi-disciplinary approach to combat corruption at all levels. Today, there is also the urgent necessity to adopt pro-active approaches to combat corruption due to the growing concerns about the cemented nexus between corruption and other forms crime—particularly, organized crime and economic crime, including money-laundering, which have international and inter-sectoral ramifications.

The criminal of today exploits the liberalized global economy by organizing himself with other available cartels and networks—like those of corrupt public servants, private contractors, investment consultants, travel agents—and avails of the latest scientific gadgets and gizmos to perpetrate his crimes and to conceal or blur the trail towards him. While the nature and magnitude of the demands on the investigating agencies has increased manifold times, the infrastructure of these agencies to detect, investigate and prosecute these crimes has remained static because of severe budgetary constraints. This has resulted in a severe strain on our manpower, who are hard-pressed to deliver positive results. I find modernization of these anti-corruption agencies will be a solution to this problem.

We also have to constantly examine the drawbacks in our criminal justice system. To illustrate my point better, I would like to share some facts about the CBI. In CBI, although we complete investigations within a year or two in most cases and file chargesheets, most of these remain pending trial in Courts for several years. Today, out of the total number of 1557 cases under investigation in CBI, only 157 are over two years old, while the total number of 6414 cases pending trial in the courts, 2300 are over 8 years old and 198 are over 20 years old. Sir, this is a matter which deserves very serious and urgent intervention so that suitable corrective measures maybe initiated and facilitate speedy delivery of justice. The obvious remedy that we can think of at this stage is to increase the number of Special Courts trying Prevention of Corruption Act cases.

The CBI is a successor organization to the Delhi Special Police Establishment which made its humble beginnings in 1941 to combat corruption in the War Supplies Department during the 2^nd World War. Today, the CBI has grown into a multi-disciplinary investigating agency which is not only spearheading the fight against corruption in the country amongst central government employees but also contributing substantially in tackling economic and special crimes, including acts of terrorism, hijacking and organized crimes. However, the fight against corruption amongst State Government employees has to be waged by the State ACBx. The fight against corruption by CBI and State ACBx can be strengthened by expanding the autonomy of these institutions, by enhancing the quality of personnel and infrastructure and by defining the modalities of mutual cooperation and assistance in a formal, structured and continuous manner. Additional incentives to attract the best talent to address the problem of inadequate man power will also go a long way to strengthen these organizations.

Corruption laws have evolved in the country starting from the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947 and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption structures are in place but the values ingrained in these laws, rules and regulations have obviously not been internalized by the society and the officials. The stigma of a corruption crime is not as much as that of a conventional crime.

It would be fitting and proper to recall the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who, in one of his last articles in 1948, wrote, "Corruption will go when a large number of persons given to the unworthy practice realize that the nation doesn’t exist for them, but that they exist for the nation. It requires a high code of morals, extreme vigilance on the part of those who are free from corrupt practice and also have influence over corrupt public servants." We assure you, Sir, that the anti-corruption institutions of our country will positively respond to the onerous challenges of fighting corruption in the country so that the benefits of development and justice are delivered to the poor and downtrodden.

Thank you.