Take over all Vyapam cases, whatever their stage: Supreme Court to CBI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday, refused to acknowledge CBI's plea to distinguish between cases which were under probe and those pending trial in courts and asked it to take over all Vyapam scam matters irrespective of their present status.

"Whatever is the stage of the case, you (CBI) will have to take over all the matters," a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said while allaying the apperehension of the CBI that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and Special Task Force (STF) of state police may not co-operate with it if it takes over those cases which were on trial stage in courts.  

"You take over and the SIT/STF will cooperate with you. We will ask them to co-operate," the bench, which also comprised Justices C Nagappan and Amitava Roy, said.

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for CBI, said there were difficulties in taking over 72 cases, which were at different levels of trial, as they were being prosecuted by SIT/STF and their investigation officers (IOs) may not extend cooperation to the CBI.

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Rejecting the submission, the bench asked the agency to take over such cases within three weeks and also directed the SIT/STF to extend support to CBI.

It also ordered the probe agency, which has shortlisted 19 persons as its prosecutors for Vyapam scam cases, to also appoint remaining 29 public prosecutors by the next date.

The bench asked CBI to move applications in trial courts concerned if it feels further probe or re-investigation is needed in any case.

The issue of shortfall of CBI sleuths to take over the investigation was also raised during the hearing and the bench asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing DoPT, to file a report detailing the steps taken or to be taken to meet the demand of the probe agency.