The Maharashtra Cabinet on Wednesday approved the setting up of three special Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) courts in the state to clear long-pending cases. Out of these courts, one would be set up in Mumbai and two others at Nagpur. The decision was taken in the wake of directions from the Supreme Court for increasing special CBI courts across the country.
The meeting, which was chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, also approved creation of 15 posts for these courts. This includes the post of judges and other related staff. All courts are expected to be set up within a month.
The Supreme Court in January had specifically directed establishing 22 special CBI courts in different states after it has found large number of pending cases in the existing numbers of courts, while hearing a case being investigated by the CBI. As a result, the Centre had directed the state chief secretary and the finance department to expedite setting up three such courts in Maharashtra.
Most CBI cases pending in different courts are related to anti-corruption action and amassing of disproportionate assets, according to sources. At present there are six special CBI courts in the state, out of them three are in Mumbai and one each in Nagpur, Pune and Amravati. After the decision Nagpur will have three special courts like Mumbai.
As on January 31, 2011, out of the total 9,910 corruption cases investigated by the CBI and pending trial at different stages in courts across the country, 1,062 are related to Maharashtra alone.