The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the CBI for its inefficiency in not filling up hundreds of vacancies in various cadres and observed that it is not a happy situation.
A bench of Justices T.S. Thakur and C. Nagappan, hearing the Saradha scam cases told additional solicitor-general Maninder Singh that as a result of the present situation, there has been no comprehensive review of cadre strength. The CBI had expressed its inability before the bench to take up more cases relating to Saradha scam pointing out the large number of vacancies and lack of manpower.
On Monday, the ASG informed court that it has taken steps to fill the 724 vaccines and the process of appointment has commenced. The bench said: “This is the reflection of your (CBI) efficiency. You should set up your house in order. Had you filled up the vacancies then this situation may not have happened. You created this situation. Even you haven’t promoted officers and were sleeping all the while.”
The ASG accepted the blame and said CBI could have been little more active and the burden would have been less for the agency. The bench while reserving orders indicated that it will order CBI to fill up the vacancies and also to increase its cadre strength.
Meanwhile, a three-judge bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A.K. Sikri, after hearing attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi, entrusted to former CBI special director M.L. Sharma the inquiry into the alleged meetings of former CBI director Ranjit Sinha with coal block allocation accused as revealed in his diary maintained at his residence.
The enquiry will find out whether Mr. Sinha’s meeting the accused had in any way impacted the investigations or filing of charge sheets or closure reports by the CBI in the coal block allocation scam cases. The court granted Mr. Sharma three months to complete the enquiry and made it clear that Mr. Sharma will be empowered to summon any record/person in relation to the case for examination. In May this year the court said prima facie there should be an inquiry whether any one or more such meetings of Mr. Sinha with accused persons without the investigating officer have had any impact on the investigations and subsequent charge sheets or closure reports.
