Interpol differs with Anna Hazare on 'CBI integrity'

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Anna Hazare and his team members may have time and again slammed and questioned its integrity, but Interpol says the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was renowned in the world for its "impartiality and independence".

"The CBI has a world wide reputation for its integrity, independence and impartiality," Interpol chief Ronald K. Noble told reporters here.

The CBI has been a focussed target of opposition parties and social activist Hazare who say the agency was a mere political tool in the hands of the government and suggested that it should come under the proposed Lokpal.

Asked about his comments on the CBI, which is the official Interpol unit in India, Noble said: "India should count on the CBI for its fairness in investigation of cases of corruption."

The CBI would be setting up an international high-tech centre in partnership with the Interpol for unravelling telecommunication crimes keeping in mind growing popularity of mobile phones and devices as carriers of sensitive information, vulnerable to hackers.

They also agreed that the present procedure to get information and evidence with regard to IP addresses, subscribers details of the alleged cyber criminals from different countries ‘cumbersome’ wherein most of the countries insist on sending a formal Letter Rogatory under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties resulting in loss of evidence.

"It was agreed that we need a mechanism, whereby IT (Information Technology) intermediaries across the globe can be linked to a single interface for Law Enforcement Agencies. It was agreed that Interpol is the agency best equipped to execute this project," CBI Director A. P. Singh said here.

On the Centre for Prevention of Telecommunication crime, Singh said CBI will send a proposal to the Centre to set up the international centre in partnership with the private sector, research centres and top academic institutions.

Match fixing

In a related development, the International Cricket Council, world cricket's top body, has sought the help of the Interpol in strengthening its anti- corruption mechanism and prevent organised crime from entering into the game through spot-fixing and illegal betting.

Interpol chief Ronald K. Noble, who is on a three-day visit to the country and had met ICC President Sharad Pawar and BCCI officials, today said they were looking forward to a 'tie-up' with the ICC and BCCI to help them in strengthening their anti-corruption mechanism.

"Young players are easy targets for unscrupulous organised criminals and illegal gamblers. We know that with online betting on the Internet that match-fixing takes place even though the results don't change... There are lot ways in which people can make lot of money without altering the results of the match," Noble told a press conference in New Delhi.