New Delhi:
Soon after the CBI submitted a nine-page affidavit in the Supreme Court today detailing changes that the agency alleges were made by Law Minister
Ashwani Kumar and others to its report on the coal investigation, Mr Kumar reportedly met the Prime Minster.
The CBI affidavit says Mr Kumar deleted a finding on non-preparation of broadsheets or charts by the screening committee and a sentence about scope of inquiry on legality of allocation. (
Read full text of CBI's affidavit)
But, the CBI has stated, the "central theme of the status reports have not changed," which is in line with the government's stand that its minster and officials made only minor changes in the report they vetted.
Sources said Ashwani Kumar conveyed to the PM today that he is confident he will emerge in the clear when the Supreme Court takes up the CBI's latest affidavit on Wednesday, May 8.
The Opposition, which has been demanding the resignations of Mr Kumar and Railways Minister Pawan Bansal - also smeared by scandal - today refused to allow voting on two important bills, the food security and land acquisition bills. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, said, "Get the ministers to resign and run Parliament." (
Read)
Mr Kumar vetted the CBI report on its investigation into coal block allocations in early March, only a few days before the agency submitted it in sealed cover to the court, implying confidentiality.
The government has so far backed its minister. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said, "Why can't the Law Minister consult investigative agencies to whom he provides service of law officers? The government may have been under the scanner but we have a right to find out what's happening."
But many in the Congress believe that Ashwani Kumar's actions make it untenable for him to remain in office.