New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) Referring to the pendency of over 1,000 cases with the CBI, 66 of them for more than five years, a parliamentary committee Thursday said delayed justice is no justice at all, and asserted that cases cannot linger on for decades without a definite closure.
It asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prepare a roadmap for disposal of pending cases.
On the question of pendency, the CBI submitted in a written reply stating that as on January 31 this year, 1,025 cases are pending investigation, 66 of them for more than five years, the committee said in its report tabled in Parliament.
The committee feels that this pendency can be effectively reduced if the manpower requirements are taken care of, it said.
The committee, therefore, recommends the government to undertake cadre restructuring of the CBI at the earliest, said the report by the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on Demands for Grants (2022-23) of the Department of Personnel and Training.
The panel also recommended that the CBI should make efforts to reduce its dependence on deputation and strive to recruit permanent staff at least upto the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
“The Committee is of the view that delayed justice is no justice at all and cases cannot linger on without a definite closure for decades. The Committee, therefore, recommends that CBI may prepare a roadmap for disposal of cases pending with them and inform the Committee accordingly,” the report said.
The committee, headed by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, also sought to know the number of cases/complaints registered with the CBI year-wise, number of cases pending and the period for which they have been pending, number of cases pending investigation, number of cases pending trial, number of cases that have completed trial, percentage of conviction vis-a-vis acquittal in the action taken note, it said.
The committee would also like to know how many cases being investigated by CBI have been stayed by courts, the report said.
It also noted with concern that several states have withdrawn their general consent to the CBI.
“The Committee may be furnished with details of states that have withdrawn their general consent as on date and also whether such states have granted specific consent in certain cases. The Committee also desires to have details of number of cases in which the states have refused to give consent to CBI for investigation and number of cases in which specific consent has been given by states,” it added.
The report said that a total of 1,753 complaints have been received against the CBI officers/officials, which include 968 complaints received through CVC via its portal, during 2015-2021.
Out of these 1,041 complaints have been closed, it said.
“During the period 2015 to 2021, total 32 corruption cases were registered against 34 CBI officers/officials and unknown officials. Out of these 32 cases, chargesheets have been filed in 20 cases in the concerned courts; while nine other cases are under investigation, two cases ended in closure and in the remaining one case, departmental enquiry has been recommended,” the report said.
Besides these, total 20 preliminary enquiries were registered against 21 CBI officers/officials during this period, it added. PTI AKV AKV TIR TIR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: The Print
