588 regular cases pending investigation by CBI for over a year, states Govt

New Delhi: As many as 588 regular cases (RCs) were pending investigation for over a year by the CBI as on December 31, 2020, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

"As on 31.12.2019, the CBI had 711 number of regular cases pending investigation for over a year; whereas, the figure of such cases as on 31.12.2020 was 588," Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

There were six such cases against political persons in 2020, according to the reply. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probes complex and voluminous cases against public servants, firms, banks, private persons, which at times pertain to very old transactions or incidents, the minister said.

Many of these cases involve an investigation spread over several states and Union Territories, he pointed out.

"Moreover, cases also remain pending for considerable time for want of expert opinion, execution reports of Letter Rogatories, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty(MLAT) etc. that are sent for collecting evidence as well as for investigation in foreign countries. The recent COVID-19 pandemic situation has also adversely affected the pace of investigation of cases...," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Parliament was also informed that as many as 1,374 posts were vacant in the CBI as on December 31, 2020.

Of the sanctioned strength of 7,273 posts, 5,899 were filled, according to a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha by Singh.

Of the 5,000 posts of executive ranks, 4,171 were filled. There was an actual strength of 284 and 66 against the sanctioned strength of 370 and 162 for the legal and ministerial ranks respectively, the reply said.

Of the 1,671 posts of ministerial ranks, 1,353 were filled.

Seven officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) were arrested in the last three years, Parliament was also informed.

According to information received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, one IPS officer serving under the Uttar Pradesh government was found involved in a criminal case during the period from September 2020 till date, Singh said.