CBI director Vijay Shankar after his appearance in court. Picture by Ashok Karan

Ranchi, June 30: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Vijay Shankar today assured Jharkhand High Court that there would be no delay in the trial of animal husbandry cases pending with lower courts.

Shankar appeared in the court today after a division bench asked him to do so to explain the delay in prosecution of the accused in the animal husbandry scam.

The CBI chief told the bench comprising acting Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice N.N. Tiwary that he would personally ensure that the cases were not delayed for reasons like witnesses not turning up in court.

He pointed court that since most of the witnesses were settled outside the state, it was difficult to ensure their presence during trial.

To solve the problem, Shankar told the bench, special officers notified in each state have been asked to ensure that the witnesses appeared in court on time.

Expressing displeasure, the bench told the CBI director that the special courts set up for the animal husbandry scam trial were forced to deal with cases that would not have gone to them had the agency produced the witnesses.

The best judicial officers have been posted in the CBI courts to ensure speedy disposal but the agency has not cooperated with them, the bench observed.

Explaining the CBI?s position, Shankar said there is unequal distribution of cases among the courts. While some are overburdened, the others do not get much work. Proper distribution will make the system more effective, he held.

The court, while asking Shankar not to rush matters too much, told him that the agency should ensure timely trial of the cases.

The CBI director told the court that a joint director and an additional joint director of the agency would monitor the progress of animal husbandry cases.

Talking to The Telegraph, Shankar said the CBI was not responsible for the delay but assured that the process would be expedited. He, however, could not say by when the trial would end.