•As CBI director, how will you ensure speedy convictions and watertight investigations?

We have efficient officers and we will provide them with better working conditions. The CBI has been working on cases very well and fair investigations have been conducted in all the cases. Governments, courts and the public have all applauded the agency for its investigations. People have faith in the CBI, which is why they want probes to be conducted by it.

•Why does the agency have hundreds of cases listed as ‘under investigation’ like the CGHS scam, Nithari killings, and cases against politicians like Mayawati and Lalu Prasad? And how would you ensure that such cases are investigated properly, as the CBI is time and again accused of being influenced by politicians?

The CBI has always finished investigations in all its cases on time and most of the cases are under trial. As far as the CGHS case is concerned, we registered 202 cases in the scam. Out of these, 177 have been chargesheeted, five are closed and investigations are pending in only 20 cases. In the Nithari case, we registered 19 cases out of which 13 have been chargesheeted and the trial is underway for them. In the remaining six cases, investigations are going on and we are going to file a chargesheet in three of them very soon. In cases against Mayawati, our investigations are over, and cases against Lalu Prasad wound up long ago.

•What is your assessment of investigations into the Arushi-Hemraj case? Is the probe over as your predecessor had claimed?

The case is still open. We are doing positive investigations with a team effort.

•So, have you been able to find any clue in the case through the DNA tests of blood samples taken from Rajkumar’s T-shirt?

We have found evidence like mobile phones and the murder weapon. We have DNA reports, but cannot disclose anything until investigations are over and the chargesheet is filed.

•A few weeks ago, CBI sent SMSes to people asking them to inform its anti-corruption unit about instances of bribery in government offices. What was the idea behind the drive and what has been the response?

We are using technology for the first time to make people aware. Though people know they should report corruption, most of them do not know how to go about it. So, we want to tell people that there is an agency that can help them, and that it’s just an SMS away. We have received a lot of SMSes over the past few weeks.

•What do you have to say for cases that are not inter-state crimes or national crimes but are handed over to you?

We investigate cases when asked by the state or the central governments, or the court. We cannot refuse to comply with orders.

•What’s the progress in the Scarlett Keeling murder case?

The Goa police had filed the chargesheet in the case and we have interrogated everybody related to the case, including the 87 witnesses. Now we are waiting for Scarlett’s mother Fiona Mackeown to come to India. We are yet to get any positive response from her. We have also written to the UK Government for its assistance in her appearance.

•Recently, there have been some transfers in the CBI top brass; some senior officers have also proceeded on leave. For instance, why were the officers taken off the brief when the Arushi case was at a crucial stage?

Transfers and postings are routine. I am here as part of one such move. I don’t think any transfer has anything to do with the investigations of any case.

•There were reports that the CBI may investigate major terror cases. Is that on the cards?

After the Ahmedabad blasts, there was a meeting of directors general of states with the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary who said that cases having international ramifications should be given to the CBI, such as cases related to SIMI and other such terrorist outfits, for instance.

•Is there a possibility of the Ahmedabad blasts, Jaipur blasts, and the Samjhauta blasts being transferred to the CBI?

The state police are investigating the cases and are doing it very well. Unless they ask us to do so, we cannot involve ourselves in the cases. But we have investigated terrorism-related cases in the past like Bombay blasts, Mecca Masjid blasts at Hyderabad, plane hijack case and Malegaon blasts.