The government could be in for more trouble as the CBI is all set to reveal the names of senior officers in the law and coal ministries as well as the Prime Minister’s Office and the role played by them in allotment of coal blocks to various beneficiaries.
These names are expected to be included either in the fresh affidavit to be filed by the CBI on May 6 or a separate status report that may be submitted by the agency in a sealed cover to the court. The matter will be heard by the Supreme Court on May 8.
It is being claimed that the names of these officials were dropped after the CBI shared the draft probe report with the law ministry and the PMO. Law minister Ashwani Kumar told Congress leaders on Wednesday that he had “done no wrong” and that the party must counter the Opposition attack.
Trouble, however, continues to brew for Mr Kumar, with some reports indicating that he wanted the CBI to change its counsel for the arguments before the Supreme Court. But with the court severely criticising the government for “interfering” in the probe report, the law ministry tried to defend itself on Wednesday by describing the changes in the report as “suggestions of a minor nature”. The ministry also reportedly tried to shift the onus on to the CBI, by stating “since the relationship between the CBI and the law ministry is one of client and lawyer, the CBI was always free to accept or reject any suggestions”, sources said. A section in the government and in the Congress described the law ministry’s defence as “weak”.
The so-called amendments were reportedly carried out during the meeting at the law minister’s office on March 5. Those present at the meeting were CBI director Ranjit Sinha, attorney-general Goolam E. Vahanvati and additional solicitor-general Harin Raval. Later, a PMO joint secretary also intervened.