CBI will focus on supply side corruption or active bribery: Ranjit Sinha

Agency has partnered with Interpol, US Department of Justice, US SEC to jointly conduct training programme for officers of South Asia

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its seventh edition of the Interpol global programme on anti-corruption and asset recovery, will focus on the supply side corruption or active bribery, CBI director Ranjit Sinha said in his inaugural address.

He said, “The reality is that corruption is a two-way street, for every bribe taker there is a bribe payer. When the talk turns to corruption, the focus is on the demand side of the equation, on public officials who abuse their office for private gain. Frequently, the supply side is given less attention.”

CBI has partnered Interpol and US Department of Justice, US Securities and Exchange Commission to jointly conduct a training programme for law enforcement officers of South Asia.

Representatives of Sri Lanka, Nepal are also attending the four day training programme at the CBI headquarters.  The training would focus on a variety of issues including managing conflict of interest in the public and private sectors, internal company controls and corruption between private sector agents.

Stressing on the need of international cooperation for successful recovery of assets, Sinha said, “Law Enforcement agencies have to look beyond borders to track these illicit funds siphoned off their countries and ensure their freezing and subsequent attachment.”

Sinha also praised the new Companies Act for expanding the focus of probes from only the government and public servants and also how the issue of compulsory audit of private corporates is being debated vigorously in India.

“The tables are slowly turning with more and more important areas made over to the private sector for implementation,” he added. One of the aims of this conference is for the participants to “exchange experiences on various such measures aimed at reducing the supply side of corruption.”