CBI disposed of 1,070 cases in 2013

Agency registered a total of 1,131 cases last year including irregularities in coal block allocation scam

Ahead of the general elections, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) managed to dispose of 1,070 cases during 2013.

Some of the major cases CBI closed last year, giving many polticos relief, include a disproportionate assets case against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and the seven year-old Barak missile deal, which had former defence minister George Fernandes as the main accused.

The agency had registered 1,131 cases last year, including irregularities in the coal block allocations, procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from Finmeccanica and a bribery case related to member-staff, Railway Board, among others. In 2012, CBI had disposed of 1,019 cases and registered 1,048 first information reports (FIRs).

The investigation agency also concluded trials in 1,225 cases with a conviction rate of 68.6 per cent. Some of the key cases in which CBI filed chargesheets this year include the alleged fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan, the National Rural Health Mission scam, bribery case against Mahesh Kumar, member, the Railway Board, etc.

Overall, CBI had registered cases against 1,749 public servants, in which 429 were Group Á bureaucrats and 17 were Joint Secretary-level officials, and 11 were board level appointees of banks and public sector enterprises.

Some of the achievements for the agency, as highlighted in its annual report, included the memorandum of understanding signed with the Financial Intelligence Unit –India to improve the anti-money laundering regime and MoU signed with the National Law School of India University, Bangalore for establishment of CBI Chair in Law Enforcement. A designated UK Court also ruled in favour of extradition of Ravi Shankaran, to India, an accused in a case relating to alleged leakage of classified documents from the Navy War Room.