File pic: Congress MP Naveen Jindal, accused in the coal allocation scam
Congress MP Navin Jindal, accused in the coal allocation scam, has been summoned by the CBI for questioning but don't expect to see any pictures of him. Sources have confirmed to NDTV that Mr Jindal has requested officials to be discreet and avoid tipping off the media.
CBI officials told NDTV they have accepted the 43-year-old politician's request. It is rare but not entirely unusual for the investigating agency to give the accused a helping hand and save them from embarrassment in high profile cases. For instance, former air chief SP Tyagi was also given this 'courtesy'.
But some would say the steel magnate turned Congress politician has been especially fortunate. Although Mr Jindal was made an accused in June, he has evaded questioning since then. He also enjoyed a trip to London despite the CBI wanting access to his cupboards. And now he is set to escape any footage that links him to the CBI.
The CBI alleges that Mr Jindal's company Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) colluded with Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao to influence the screening committee that allotted coal blocks, by investing more than two crores. The agency has alleged that Mr Jindal's company did this in return for being allotted a mine in Jharkhand in 2008.