IPS Joginder Singh: The CBI Chief Who First Sent Lalu Yadav To Jail

If one were to list the most talked-about and controversial directors in the history of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the name of a Punjab-born IPS officer would inevitably figure at the very top. At a time when major corruption scandals were surfacing across the country in the mid-1990s, the agency was placed under the leadership of a fearless and outspoken officer known for his uncompromising faith in the law, Joginder Singh.

A 1961-batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre, Singh was widely regarded for his honesty and strict administrative style. He took charge as CBI Director on July 31, 1996, during the United Front government’s tenure. Though his stint lasted barely 11 months, until June 30, 1997, it left a deep and lasting

imprint on the country’s political and investigative landscape.

His tenure is best remembered for the action taken in the Rs 950-crore fodder scam, which led to the resignation and arrest of then Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who at the time was at the peak of his political influence. Singh approved the chargesheet in the case despite the charged political atmosphere.

When asked whether he was under pressure, he famously replied, “The law will do its job”. For the first time in political history, a sitting chief minister was forced to step down and face imprisonment following a CBI probe.

Before Singh’s appointment, the CBI was often criticised as a “caged parrot”, a phrase later popularised in public discourse. Many believe that during his tenure, the CBI began asserting its independence more strongly. His decisions and investigations were seen as bold and far-reaching, reopening sensitive cases such as the fodder scam, the urea scam and the JMM bribery case.

At the time, IK Gujral was the Prime Minister, known for his soft diplomatic approach, in contrast to Singh’s tough investigative style. It was widely believed that relations between the two were strained. According to accounts later described by Singh, there were concerns within the government about the political fallout of aggressive investigations against coalition partners. In June 1997, he was abruptly shifted from the post of CBI Director and appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Home Ministry, marking a dramatic end to his tenure.

During his time at the helm, several prominent political figures came under the CBI’s radar. Among them were Lalu Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam, former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in connection with the JMM bribery case and other matters, Satish Sharma in the petrol pump allocation controversy, and Punjab leader Parkash Singh Badal in corruption-related probes.

After retirement, Singh documented his experiences through a series of books, including Inside CBI, The Secrets of CBI and Without Fear or Favour. In these works, he wrote extensively about high-profile cases and alleged attempts to influence investigations. He detailed the workings of the fodder scam, describing how officials and political leaders allegedly siphoned off public funds, and also spoke about long-pending cases such as Bofors, where, according to him, files remained untouched for years due to political reasons.

The CBI itself was established in 1963 and has since handled several major cases, including the fodder scam, Bofors, the Vijay Mallya bank loan default, the Punjab National Bank fraud involving Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the Commonwealth Games scam, coal allocation cases, Aircel-Maxis, VVIP helicopter procurement, and several chit fund scams such as Saradha, Rose Valley and Narada.

Joginder Singh passed away on February 3, 2017, at the age of 77. Many within the investigative community still regard his tenure as a defining period that strengthened the agency’s credibility and autonomy.