Even after directive of the Supreme Court to set up 71 new special CBI courts in the country including two in Assam, more than 150 corruption cases of CBI are pending for trial due to non-appointment of a regular judge in the existing special CBI court in Assam.
Disclosing that state government was delaying the appointment of the judge for the special CBI court in Assam, security sources told this newspaper that the apex court in one of its orders had asked for setting up 71 new CBI special court in the country while observing that special court should not be asked to hear more than 50 cases at a time.
Admitting that delay in trial was hampering the investigation into many important corruption cases, security sources said that CBI in Assam had registered prosecution in 80 per cent cases, the highest in the country in 2009 but it has come down to 34 per cent in 2010 as special court of CBI was without any judge at least for eight months.
Though, state government appointed a judge Mr S.C. Das at the end of 2010, but he was given additional responsibility of two more special courts of the National Investigation Agency and the state’s special court. Referring that graft cases need regular trial to ensure prosecution, sources said that the Supreme Court had appreciated the necessity of expeditious trial in the corruption cases.