Only one CAG-based case registered by CBI in last five years: Minister

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered only one case based on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the past five years, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Responding to a written question from Samajwadi Party MP Neeraj Maurya and Congress MP Sunil Bose, the Minister said the case was registered on 12 July 2022 under registration number RC33/2022-EO-III-Delhi. The case pertained to CAG Report No. 7 of 2012-2013, which dealt with the performance audit of allocation of coal blocks and augmentation of coal production.

Minister Meghwal further stated that upon completion of investigation, a closure report was filed on 31 March 2025 before the competent court. A closure report typically indicates that the investigating agency found insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution.

The question had specifically asked how many cases had been lodged against public officials or agencies on the basis of CAG reports in the last five years. The Minister's reply underscores the limited direct follow-up action taken by the CBI on audit findings.

The CAG is an independent constitutional authority responsible for auditing the receipts and expenditure of the government. Its reports are often tabled in Parliament and can point to irregularities or inefficiencies in the use of public funds. While CAG reports are not automatically actionable, they may be referred to investigating agencies for further probe.

In this instance, the sole case to emerge from CAG reports in five years led to a closure report, meaning no charges were ultimately pressed. The development may raise questions about the effectiveness of the mechanism through which audit observations are converted into criminal investigations.

Members of Parliament often raise such matters to seek accountability from the executive. The response from the Law Minister, who also holds the portfolio of Parliamentary Affairs, provides an official account of the CBI's activity in relation to CAG findings.

The details of the case, including the closure report, were submitted in Parliament as part of the written reply. The information is now part of the public record and can be examined by citizens and civil society organisations.

It may be noted that CAG reports cover a wide range of government departments and programmes. However, the process of investigating potential irregularities is separate from the audit function. The CBI, as the premier investigation agency, takes up cases based on various sources, including court orders, complaints, and references from central government departments.

In the absence of a specific policy mandating automatic action on CAG findings, the conversion of audit observations into criminal cases remains subject to the discretion of the agencies concerned. The latest reply in Parliament confirms that such discretion has been exercised sparingly in the last five years.