‘We are short-staffed, need more expert hands to probe voluminous PNB case,’ it says while asking for permission to let sub-inspectors probe the case.
New Delhi: Citing shortage of staff, the CBI team investigating the Punjab National Bank-Nirav Modi fraud case has written to a Mumbai court, asking it to grant permission to induct two sub-inspectors to investigate the case as the scam seems to be getting bigger.
As per Section 17 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, no police officer below the rank of an inspector in the Delhi Special Police Establishment shall investigate any crime punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act without the order of a competent court.
The plea has come just days after CBI pulled out 20 officers from the special Vyapam scam branch, despite more than 50 cases pending.
First such admission
This is the first time that CBI has, on record, admitted to not having enough experts to probe banking and fraud cases that are constantly on the rise.
At present, one deputy superintendent of police and two inspectors have been given the task to investigate the case on a day-to-day basis. Now, the CBI has sought the inclusion of Amit Srivastava and Sahil Saluja, both sub-inspectors, to help probe the case.
Speaking to ThePrint, a CBI officer said that since the investigation involves analysis of voluminous documents by experts, extra hands are required. Due to the magnitude of the case and the existing staff crunch in the banking and fraud unit at CBI, it’s falling short.
“The investigation involves collection of voluminous documents, examination of large number of witnesses and other related work within the country and abroad. The enormity of this case is yet to be ascertained. Hence, there is a need for additional officers in probing a case of this magnitude,” the CBI told the court.
The plea further stated that there is a shortage of officers at the inspector rank. “The officers of the rank of inspectors are preoccupied in the investigation of other important cases of the branch. In order to utilise the resources available optimally, permission is required for enabling the sub-inspectors to conduct the investigation,” the CBI said.