Manmohan Singh presents President's police medals

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday presented President's police medals to 11 CBI officers including joint director O.P. Galhotra who investigated bofors scam, the then joint director Arun Kumar who led the probe into Aarushi Murder case and Rishi Raj Singh who arrested Buta Singh's son on corruption charges.

Singh who inaugurated the new CBI headquarters here presented the medals to officers whose names were announced on August 15, 2009 and 2010 and January 26, 2010. The names of the three officers for the medals were announced on August 15, 2009.

Alok Kumar Pateria, joint director policy, R.P. Agarwal joint director, S.R. Majumdar, SP, Kolkata, Pramod Krishna, SP Mumbai and Ashwani Kumar SP, CBI headquarters, whose names for the medals were announced on August 15, 2010, also received their medals from the Prime Minister on Saturday.

The Prime Minister also presented President's police medal to S.K. Kashyap, senior SP special unit Delhi, D.C. Dwivedi, SP CBI special unit Kolkata and Harikesh additional SP, anti-corruption Unit Delhi, who were announced as winners of the medal on Independence day in 2010.

Known for his efficiency, Galhotra, a 1985-batch IPS officer from Rajasthan, has helped the agency in cutting down pending cases and also handled high-profile cases like the bofors arms deal and ordnance factory corruption case.

Rishiraj Singh, a 1985 batch IPS officer from Maharashtra, arrested Sarabjot Singh, son of the chairman of the national commission for scheduled castes Buta Singh, on alleged corruption charges, led investigations into much hyped Adarsh Housing Scam and also bribery-for-loan scam.

Arun Kumar, a 1985 batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh had investigated many high profile cases like Aarushi-Hemraj murder, Nithari serial killings among other. He has gone back to his parent cadre.

Alok Kumar Pateria, a 1986-batch IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre joint director (policy) who earlier as JD (North) had handled sensitive cases like the disproportionate asset case against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and provident fund scam at Ghaziabad court.

Speaking on the occasion, CBI director A.P. Singh said agency has been facing several problems such as, delay in according sanction for prosecution, non-execution of letters rogatory, delays in receiving forensic reports and large number of vacancies at all levels.

He said despite 30 per cent shortage, the agency has an impressive 70 per cent conviction rate.

Singh said the new CBI Act, which is in the stage of being drafted, will widen the scope of the Bureau's activities and sought support of the government in its passage.