New Delhi:
After getting their fingers burnt on the coal scam investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (or CBI) does not want to take any chances. In its report filed in the Supreme Court today before the hearing scheduled on Wednesday, the agency has said that while they will abide by the apex court's direction and not share any details of their investigation, they may have to in special circumstances.
The CBI sources said they have informed the court that they may need to share information in cases where they need to seek the government's sanction for prosecution. "When we seek sanction, we have to tell them the grounds of prosecution," said an official.
This happened recently when the CBI had to tell the Ministry of Corporate Affairs why they were summoning former Coal Secretary HC Gupta as an accused. The ministry refused to give sanction till they had details of evidence against Gupta.
"We've also told the Honourable Supreme Court that we may need to share details with our own lawyers," said a senior official. The apex court, during the last hearing, had said that only the investigating officers and the CBI director should know details.
The court's remarks were after revelations that former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, the Attorney General and officials of the Prime Minister's Office had made changes to the report
Apart from this, the CBI has also informed the court about the developments in its investigations. The agency said it has questioned PMO officials and booked Congress MP Navin Jindal and former minister Dasari Narayan Rao for manipulating the allocation process.
Sources in the agency said they still have not set a date for questioning Navin Jindal.