Over 6,900 CBI corruption cases pending trials in courts.

A staggering 6,903 corruption cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are currently pending trials in various courts across India, with 361 of these cases languishing for over two decades, according to the latest annual report from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

The report, which reflects on the state of anti-corruption efforts in the country as of December 31, 2023, underscores significant delays in the judicial process, raising concerns about the efficacy and speed of the legal system in handling corruptionrelated cases.

The CVC's 2023 annual report paints a grim picture of the backlog in corruption trials, with over 2,100 cases pending for more than ten years but less than twenty years. An additional 2,188 cases have been under trial for a period of five to ten years, while 875 cases have seen delays extending between three to five years. As many as 1,379 cases have been pending for less than three years. The sheer volume of pending cases not only points to a systemic issue but also raises concerns about the potential for justice being delayed and, in many cases, denied.

The CVC noted: “It is a matter of concern that 2,461 cases were pending for more than 10 years at the end of 2023,” highlighting the slow pace of the judicial process and the dire need for reforms to expedite the trials.