CBI director’s plea puts Manmohan govt in dock
27 April 2013 7:24 AM IST
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Ranjit Sinha on Friday put the blame for sharing the draft report on status of investigation in the coal block allocation scam case at the altar of the government.
Filing the affidavit in the Supreme Court, Sinha tried to wash his hands off from the issue saying the draft was shared as per the ‘desire’ of the political executive.
The affidavit said that the contents of the status report filed in the court on coal block scam case dated 8 March 2013 was shared with Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and officials of Prime Minister’s Office and Coal Ministry as ‘desired by them’. Sinha’s affidavit is silent on whether government made any changes in the status report.
His admission contradicts the claim made by CBI counsel on the last date of hearing that the report was not shared with any member of the government. Sinha, in his affidavit, said, ‘In respect of the query raised by this Hon’ble Court about sharing of the contents of the status report dated 8 March 2013 with the political executive, I submit that the draft of the same was shared with Hon’ble Union Minister for Law and Justice as desired by him prior to its submission before this Hon’ble Court.’
In his two-page affidavit, Sinha has also said that ‘besides the political executive, it was also shared with one Joint Secretary level officer each of Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Coal as desired by them.’
The Supreme Court is hearing a PIL filed by Common Cause and advocate ML Sharma seeking a SIT probe into the scam. The case will come up on April 30. Sinha has filed this affidavit in compliance of the apex court order dated 12 March 2013 which had directed him to file affidavit that the status report dated March 8 2013 submitted in the apex court was vetted by him and nothing contained therein has been shared with the political executive.
Sinha’s affidavit further said that ‘I confirm that the present status report being filed in this court (on Friday) has not been shared with any political executive in any manner whatsoever. In respect of further status reports of the investigation and inquiry required to be filed in this matter before this court, I undertake and assure this court that the same shall not be shared with any political executive.’
‘ASHWANI WILL NOT RESIGN’
Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath on Friday said there was no question of the resignation of law minister Ashwani Kumar. The assertion came as opposition BJP and Left parties demanded the resignation of Kumar for vetting a CBI report on the coal block allocation scam, prior to its submission to the Supreme Court.
‘The CBI director has clearly said that the draft report was seen by the law minister and not the final report. There is no question of him (Ashwani Kumar) resigning,’ said Nath.
‘There is a question of content (of the report) and much is provided by the coal ministry, PMO and the law ministry.
The CBI procured the content and made a final report. The final report has not been seen by the political executive,’ added Nath.
Filing the affidavit in the Supreme Court, Sinha tried to wash his hands off from the issue saying the draft was shared as per the ‘desire’ of the political executive.
The affidavit said that the contents of the status report filed in the court on coal block scam case dated 8 March 2013 was shared with Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and officials of Prime Minister’s Office and Coal Ministry as ‘desired by them’. Sinha’s affidavit is silent on whether government made any changes in the status report.
His admission contradicts the claim made by CBI counsel on the last date of hearing that the report was not shared with any member of the government. Sinha, in his affidavit, said, ‘In respect of the query raised by this Hon’ble Court about sharing of the contents of the status report dated 8 March 2013 with the political executive, I submit that the draft of the same was shared with Hon’ble Union Minister for Law and Justice as desired by him prior to its submission before this Hon’ble Court.’
In his two-page affidavit, Sinha has also said that ‘besides the political executive, it was also shared with one Joint Secretary level officer each of Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Coal as desired by them.’
The Supreme Court is hearing a PIL filed by Common Cause and advocate ML Sharma seeking a SIT probe into the scam. The case will come up on April 30. Sinha has filed this affidavit in compliance of the apex court order dated 12 March 2013 which had directed him to file affidavit that the status report dated March 8 2013 submitted in the apex court was vetted by him and nothing contained therein has been shared with the political executive.
Sinha’s affidavit further said that ‘I confirm that the present status report being filed in this court (on Friday) has not been shared with any political executive in any manner whatsoever. In respect of further status reports of the investigation and inquiry required to be filed in this matter before this court, I undertake and assure this court that the same shall not be shared with any political executive.’
‘ASHWANI WILL NOT RESIGN’
Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath on Friday said there was no question of the resignation of law minister Ashwani Kumar. The assertion came as opposition BJP and Left parties demanded the resignation of Kumar for vetting a CBI report on the coal block allocation scam, prior to its submission to the Supreme Court.
‘The CBI director has clearly said that the draft report was seen by the law minister and not the final report. There is no question of him (Ashwani Kumar) resigning,’ said Nath.
‘There is a question of content (of the report) and much is provided by the coal ministry, PMO and the law ministry.
The CBI procured the content and made a final report. The final report has not been seen by the political executive,’ added Nath.
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