22 additional special CBI courts to be set up

States have been requested to provide infrastructure and manpower for the courts, says V Narayanasamy

Government today said it has approved setting up of 22 additional special CBI courts in different parts of the country.

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy said in Rajya Sabha that after receipt of consent from the states, 15 courts have been sanctioned including five in Gujarat, and three each in Maharashtra and West Bengal.

He said the government in 2009 had decided to set up 71 additional special courts, especially for trial of CBI cases in various states.

Out of these 71 courts, 66 courts are functional, he said.

'One court at Srinagar has to be dropped. Since state government could not provide infrastructure, four courts could not be started, three in Odisha and one in Goa,' Narayanasamy added.

He further said that due to less number of CBI cases, the court proposed initially at Panchkula and later shifted to Srinagar, has not been set up.

'Since the Central Government, on direction of the Hon'ble Supreme Court on December 13, 2012, decided to set up 22 more additional special courts for CBI cases in the country which include one at Srinagar, this proposed court for Srinagar (out of 71) has be dropped,' he said.

Replying to a supplementary question posed by Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), the Minister said government does not interfere in investigations being carried by CBI.

'Our government never interfered in investigations by CBI...UPA government will never interfere in CBI investigation,' Narayanasamy said.

The Minister also said that 88 posts, including that of public prosecutors, for the 22 courts for CBI have been sanctioned.

States have been requested to provide infrastructure and manpower for the courts, he said.