A total of 151 cases are pending against sitting and former MPs/MLAs in special CBI courts across the country and as many as 58 cases are punishable with life imprisonment.
However, in nearly one-third of the cases, the trial is moving at a snail’s pace – charges have not been framed, though offences were committed several years back.
Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appointed amicus curiae in a 2016 petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, has said in a report filed in the Supreme Court.
Upadhyay had filed the petition in the top court seeking direction to fast-tracking of criminal trials against sitting and former MPs/MLAs
He has been assisted by advocate Sneha Kalita in the matter.
The fourteenth report, in the matter, said: “It may be noted that out of 151 cases pending trial before the Special Courts, CBI, as many as 58 cases are punishable with life imprisonment.
“In 45 cases, even the charges have not been framed, though the offences alleged to have been committed several years back.”
The CBI has furnished a status report dated August 19, to the amicus mentioning the details of the cases pending trial before different CBI courts and those under investigation.
The CBI cases pending investigation against MPs/MLAs are 37.
The oldest pending case is in Patna, where the accused was charge-sheeted on June 12, 2000.
The report highlighted the inordinate delay in several cases pending trial before CBI courts in different parts of the country.
According to the Enforcement Directorate’s status report, a total number of 51 MPs, both sitting and former, are accused in cases arising out of offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
However, the report does not show how many MPs/MLAs are sitting and/or former legislators.
The report suggested that courts before whom the trials are pending may be directed to expedite the trial of all pending cases on a day-to-day basis in terms of Section 309 of the CrPC.