SC to govt: Fix timeline for setting up CBI courts

The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Centre to state how much time it will take to set up 18 additional CBI courts. At present, 7,023 cases are pending before the investigating agency.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya also issued directions to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on the time frame within which requisite number of public prosecutors should be appointed and police officers deputed to the agency.

Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Centre, submitted that a total of 7,023 corruption cases were pending before the CBI at present. “There is a need to set up 140 courts. At present, 122 special courts are functional,” he said.

The court also wondered whether it was possible to create a mechanism under which courts were set up automatically in case of a surge in the number of cases. “When there is a substantial increase in the number of cases, automatically courts are created. Why is there no such mechanism?” the bench questioned.