E-Paper
CBI to review performance of investigators each month
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to review the performance of its Investigating Officers (IOs) on a monthly basis, a move aimed at increasing the efficiency of the agency, which has a pendency of at least 700 cases older than a year (according to the latest available data), officials familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to review the performance of its Investigating Officers (IOs) on a monthly basis, a move aimed at increasing the efficiency of the agency, which has a pendency of at least 700 cases older than a year (according to the latest available data), officials familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. Currently, reviews are conducted every quarter.
As part of monthly review exercise, the work of IOs will be rated on the basis of number of charge sheets filed, number of source information reports (SIRs) generated, number of case diaries completed, and whether all processes as mentioned in the CBI Crime Manual l(photographing/video graphing of crime scene, search proceedings, recording of statements etc) were followed.
The review will also record whether formalities such as seeking prosecution sanction, expert opinions and proper marking of evidence is being done, the people cited above added.
Another important objective of the monthly performance review is to prevent corruption and opportunities for corruption the people said. In January, four agency officers including two Deputy Superintendents were arrested for weakening the agency’s investigation in bank fraud cases in lieu of huge bribes.
The current quarterly reviews are carried out in all CBI branches and reviewed by the head of branches/zones.
The decision to institute a a monthly review has been taken by Interim CBI Director Praveen Sinha, who, according to one of the officers cited above, felt the pendency in CBI needs to be brought down. To be sure, the monthly review is separate from ACRs (annual confidential reports) prepared annually for all government employees.
According to the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC’s) annual report 2019, investigation was pending in 744 CBI cases for at least a year at the end of December 2019 out of which 678 were related to Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. About 25 corruption cases have been pending for at least five years. Overall, a total of 1,239 investigations and enquiries were pending with CBI till December 2019.
In its updated Crime Manual in December 2020, CBI stated that investigations in a majority of corruption cases will be completed within nine months. The manual stated that the existing one-year deadline in corruption cases will apply only in those cases where a high ranking government official such as a joint secretary or secretary is accused, and the probe is being supervised by an officer of additional director rank or above in CBI.
The new CBI Crime Manual, updated after 15 years, was also largely prepared under the supervision of Sinha, when he was the additional director of the central agency.
“He (Praveen Sinha) wants investigations to expedite by IOs thoroughly doing their work,” said a second officer.
Former CBI Joint Director - N R Wassan said – “Earlier there used to be a bi-monthly review of every CBI branch but it was quite taxing. It has to be seen how so many IOs will be reviewed every month. If the SPs (Superintendents of Police) and DIGs (Deputy Inspector General’s) do the review properly, such reviews always help.”
