New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) The country’s premier detective agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is readying a batch of ‘GenNext’ officers to probe cases, especially pertaining to terrorism and cyber crimes, with focus on completing investigations within a year.
A group of 39 sub-inspectors, directly recruited, has been undergoing training in all aspects of investigations at the agency’s academy at Ghaziabad near here.
These investigating officers (IOs), called GenNext detectives by senior officers, are imparted the knowledge of latest software and gadgets used in the investigations.
“Each sub-inspector will be armed with a laptop and a mobile phone. They will finish their training next year. We hope to complete probe in one duration in any case,” said CBI Joint Director (Administration) K. Saleem Ali.
“A batch of 39 freshly recruited sub-inspectors would undertake training next year. We have been conducting refresher courses for the staff from time to time,” Ali told reporters at a media interaction here.
The CBI is also providing laptops and mobile phones to all its investigating officers. Ali said the process would be completed in next two years.
Ali said the agency has developed an online investigation software that will allow officers to keep track of the progress in any pending case. It would also help the senior officers to know contributions made by the individual officers in investigating the case.
“The software was prepared after consulting CBI officers and personnel. It is very user-friendly and presently on trial at one of the units in the agency. We are hopeful that by next year, it would come into place,” Ali said.
Meanwhile the CBI director Ashwini Kumar expressed concern at large number of vacancies remaining unfilled in the organisation.
“Filling 1,100 vacancies would be taken as priority next year,” he said. The CBI has a sanctioned strength of over 5,000.
Ashwini Kumar said the agency’s new building is well equipped with all the required infrastructure and modern technology.
“Beginning next year, our endeavour would be to complete all investigations within one year,” Kumar said.
In 2009, the CBI will focus on increasing its prosecution strength three times from the present strength of 273, he said.
“The present strength was sanctioned to handle about 1,400 cases. But now there are over 8,000 cases, so we have decided to raise our prosecution strength as well,” Kumar said.