Over 60 graft cases awaiting Government nod: CBI tells Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: More than 150 requests involving 62 cases of alleged corruption being probed by the CBI are pending for over three months, awaiting sanction for prosecution from various government departments, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

"The delay is often caused due to detailed analysis of the available evidence, consultation with CVC, State Governments and other agencies, and sometimes non-availability of relevant documentary evidence, etc," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy told Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question.

As per information given by the CBI, 169 requests regarding sanction for prosecution were pending for more than three months in 62 cases as on December 31, 2010 under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, he said.

In reply to another question, Narayanasamy denied political pressure and increase in unsolved cases saying that "no case under active investigation is pending for more than 10 years with CBI."

The Minister said pendency of Letters Rogatory (LR) with foreign countries, non-traceability of accused persons, delay in getting expert opinion, stay by the courts, complex and voluminous nature of cases and delay in handling over the cases to the CBI for investigation after initial investigation by local police among others are some of the reasons which delay the CBI probe.