CBI to finalise 90 pc cases by yr end for credibility

New Delhi, Feb 11: To infuse 'credibility and quality' to its functioning, the CBI plans to finalise 90 per cent of pending cases by the year-end, while recruiting fresh blood and erasing bottlenecks through intensive supervision as part of its futuristic 'Comprehensive Modernisation Project'.

Also, it was endeavouring to ensure that investigations in most cases are completed within a year and as a first step has decided to fill vacancies of 'Investigating Officers', and empowering them, in order to intensify its 'fight against corruption', the CBI said.

Efforts were also afoot to expedite trials in cases which were 10-20 years old by setting up additional 'Special Courts', recruiting more Public Prosecutors, increase number of 'Special Counsels' and strengthening its 'Directorate of Prosecution'.

In addition to this, the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) of the CBI would be upgraded to 'world standards' with latest scientific aids even as the agency seeks active public cooperation in its battle against corrupt practices.

Plans are also on the anvil to bring separate courts for economic offences along with bridging the lacunae in the 'IT Act, 2000', besides strengthening the 'Anti-Terror Legal Framework' while ensuring protection of Human Rights.

And lastly, in order to add punch to its 'walking the talk', the central agency would vigorously pursue with its 'zero tolerance' policy towards its own officials, as was evident in the action taken against 13 of its personnel and charge-sheeting five others last year, the CBI added.

UNI