The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday was briefed that a total of 151 cases are pending against sitting and former Indian MPs/MLAs in special CBI courts with as many as 58 cases punishable with life imprisonment.
However, in nearly one-third of the cases, the trial is underway, while, charges are yet to be framed in many cases.
As per reports, senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appointed amicus curiae in a 2016 petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to fast-tracking of criminal trials against sitting and former MPs/MLAs, has filed the report in the top court.
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.
Moreover, according to the Enforcement Directorate's status report, a total number of 51 Members of Parliament, 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.
