Coalgate: CBI files status report in SC
The CBI on Monday filed its status report related to its investigations into the Coalgate scam case in the Supreme Court. The status report, filed in a sealed envelope, is believed to have details about the progress made in the agency’s probe into the 13 FIRs and the three preliminary enquiries (PEs), registered by the CBI in connection with the scam.
While submitting its status report, the CBI has also pleaded before the SC to modify its order restricting it from sharing its probe report with any Central or state government functionaries.
“The agency will abide by the apex court’s direction and not share any details of the investigation with any government functionaries. However, in special circumstances the CBI may have to share information — not details — of the investigation to seek prosecution sanction against high-ranking bureaucrats of the Central government in connection with the scam,” sources said.
Sources further said, “The CBI has lodged three PEs to probe the alleged irregularities in the coal block allocations by state governments in certain joint ventures. The agency needs to share some information with state governments also if required for seeking prosecution sanctions from them against suspected state government officials.” This is the reason that the agency wants modification in the top court order, sources added.
The top court had come down heavily on the CBI on May 8 for sharing the status report on coal allocation scam probe with the then law minister Ashwani Kumar and officials of the PMO and the coal ministry. “The CBI has become a caged parrot. We can’t have CBI a caged parrot speaking in master’s voice. It is a sordid saga where there are many masters and one parrot,” the Supreme Court had said during a hearing on May 8. The top court asked the government whether it was contemplating a law to make the working of the CBI independent and insulate it from extraneous intrusion and interferences. It also made it clear that choice was with the government and in case government dithered, the court would step in. The court’s observation had come following an affidavit from CBI director Ranjit Sinha who admitted to have shared a draft coal block allocation probe report.
Post new comment