By IANS,
New Delhi : Setting for itself the goal that all investigations would be completed within a year, the Central Bureau of Investigation Wednesday said the “weak criminal justice system” and procedural delays were encouraging corruption in the country.
“We in the CBI have decided to complete all our investigations within one year,” said director of the premier investigating agency Ashwani Kumar.
Speaking at the two-day 17th biennial conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and State Anti-Corruption Bureaux, Kumar emphasised the need “to lay down a specified time frame to complete the trial of corruption cases also”.
He said the “ever-present problem” of corruption was a matter of “concern”, but noted that the “plethora of rules and procedures, lack of accountability, erosion of ethical values and lowering of moral standards, particularly among the powerful, are some of the factors which breed corruption”.
“The weak criminal justice system of our country also encourages corruption. Departmental enquiries and trials of corruption go on for years and these delays encourage the dishonest to indulge in corrupt practices with impunity,” said Kumar, who took over as the CBI head August 2008.
“More than 9,000 cases chargesheeted by the CBI are presently pending in the courts. This pendency is likely to increase every year,” he said, adding that departmental enquiries against officers of doubtful integrity should be completed within three to six months and trial within three years.
“Some say it is not possible. We in the CBI feel it is possible provided the government, the judiciary, the parliament are determined and work in coordination.”