cvc-2-461-corruption-cases-awaiting-justice-over-a-decade

India's fight against corruption has encountered a daunting backlog, with over 6,900 corruption cases probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pending trial in various courts across the country.

 

Of these, 361 cases have been awaiting a verdict for over 20 years, according to the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) latest annual report.

 

The staggering numbers, presented in the CVC's 2023 report, paint a troubling picture of the nation's struggle to resolve corruption cases in a timely manner.

 

As of December 31, 2023, a total of 6,903 cases investigated by the CBI are languishing in courts, some for decades.

 

The report highlighted that 1,379 cases have been pending for less than three years, 875 for more than three years but less than five years, and 2,188 for more than five years but less than ten years.

 

An alarming 2,100 cases have been waiting for a resolution for more than ten years but less than twenty years, while 361 cases have crossed the two-decade mark.

 

“It is a matter of concern that 2,461 cases were pending for more than 10 years at the end of 2023,” the report stated, underlining the urgent need for judicial reforms to expedite the process.

 

Adding to the challenge is the backlog of appeals and revisions related to these corruption cases.

 

A total of 12,773 appeals and revisions, filed either by the CBI or the accused, are currently pending in various high courts and the Supreme Court.

 

Of these, 501 appeals have been pending for over 20 years, 1,138 for more than 15 years but less than 20 years, 2,558 for over 10 years but less than 15 years, 3,850 for more than five years but less than ten years, 2,172 for more than two years but less than five years, and 2,554 for less than two years.

 

 

CBI faces investigation backlog amid manpower shortage

 

The CVC report also reveals that 658 corruption cases under investigation by the CBI are stuck in various stages.

 

Among these, 48 have been pending for more than five years, 74 for more than three years but less than five years, 75 for more than two years but less than three years, 175 for more than one year but less than two years, and 286 for less than one year.

 

The delays in completing investigations have been attributed to multiple factors.

 

The report cites "excessive workload," "inadequate manpower," "delays in obtaining responses to Letters Rogatory (LRs)," and "delays in granting prosecution sanction by the competent authorities" as major reasons.

 

It also points out the time-consuming efforts required for scrutinising voluminous records, especially in cases related to economic offences and bank frauds, and the challenges in locating and examining witnesses in remote areas.

 

The CVC report indicates that there are 1,610 vacant posts in the CBI against a sanctioned strength of 7,295, as of December 31, 2023.

 

Among these vacancies, 1,040 are in the executive ranks, 84 are for law officers, 53 for technical officers, 388 for ministerial staff, and 45 for canteen staff. 

 

The lack of adequate personnel is seen as a significant bottleneck in the bureau’s ability to expedite investigations and clear the backlog.

 

“It is expected of the CBI to complete investigations within one year of registration of a case. Completion of investigation would imply filing of a charge sheet in a court of law wherever warranted, after receipt of sanction from the competent authority, if required,” the report mentioned.

 

Judicial delays and recommendations for reform

 

The CVC report calls attention to the sluggish pace of trials, which not only impedes justice but also undermines public trust in the judicial process. The report urges faster resolution of cases and appeals to maintain the integrity of the judicial system.

The report also highlights the role of the committee under the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, and the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, which is responsible for recommending officers for appointments to key CBI posts and proposing extensions or curtailments of their tenures.

"The aforesaid selection committee made their recommendations to the central government in respect of various appointments, proposals for extension of tenure, etc.," the report noted, underlining the need for effective administrative oversight to streamline operations.

Corruption cases and conviction rates

During 2023, the CBI registered 876 regular cases and preliminary inquiries, including 552 corruption cases involving 674 public servants, of whom 195 were gazetted officers.

The bureau also laid 198 traps to detect bribery cases and registered 37 cases for possession of disproportionate assets.

The CBI completed investigations in 873 cases in 2023, which included 755 regular cases and 118 preliminary inquiries. Despite these efforts, a total of 1,028 cases remained pending at the end of 2023, including 956 regular cases and 72 preliminary inquiries.

Notably, 510 regular cases were pending for more than one year, and 58 preliminary inquiries were pending for more than three months.

Regarding trial and conviction, judgements were received in 636 court cases, out of which 411 resulted in convictions, 140 in acquittals, 24 in discharges, and 61 were "disposed off for other reasons." The conviction rate for 2023 was 71.47%, slightly lower than the 74.59% recorded in 2022.

At the end of 2023, a total of 10,959 court cases were pending under trial in various courts, the report said.