New Delhi:
Hours after the Supreme Court castigated the CBI for allowing the government to vet a crucial document on its coal investigation, the Prime Minister met Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, who is accused of demanding changes to the report.
Sources said the Law Minister did not offer to resign at the short meeting. However, several Congress ministers want the Law Minister to resign and say "there is no advantage in brazening it out," sources added.
"Whatever action is called for will be taken after I study the Supreme Court observations," the PM said after meeting the Mr Kumar.
He has a catalogue of recriminations to go through. The Supreme Court was scathing today of both the CBI, for submitting to its "political master," and of the government for trying to control what is meant to be India's premier and independent investigating agency. (Coal-Gate: "Erosion of faith," says Supreme Court about CBI sharing report with govt)
The court has asked the CBI to explain why its report, given to the court in a sealed cover, implying confidentiality, had been vetted by the Law Minister and an official each in the Prime Minister's Office and the Coal Ministry. (Coal scam: What Supreme Court wants to know from CBI in "candid, truthful" affidavit)
The CBI has admitted that the Law Minister sought a copy of the report, and then, at a meeting at his office on March 5, asked for changes to the document. The opposition has said that the Law Minister and Prime Minister must both resign for trying to interfere with the CBI's enquiry into how the government assigned coal fields to private players without a transparent bidding process.
The CBI today gave the Supreme Court copies of the report that the Law Minister screened, and the actual report that the agency supplied. A comparison will establish the extent of the government's influence, if any.
Sources said the Law Minister did not offer to resign at the short meeting. However, several Congress ministers want the Law Minister to resign and say "there is no advantage in brazening it out," sources added.
"Whatever action is called for will be taken after I study the Supreme Court observations," the PM said after meeting the Mr Kumar.
He has a catalogue of recriminations to go through. The Supreme Court was scathing today of both the CBI, for submitting to its "political master," and of the government for trying to control what is meant to be India's premier and independent investigating agency. (Coal-Gate: "Erosion of faith," says Supreme Court about CBI sharing report with govt)
The court has asked the CBI to explain why its report, given to the court in a sealed cover, implying confidentiality, had been vetted by the Law Minister and an official each in the Prime Minister's Office and the Coal Ministry. (Coal scam: What Supreme Court wants to know from CBI in "candid, truthful" affidavit)
The CBI has admitted that the Law Minister sought a copy of the report, and then, at a meeting at his office on March 5, asked for changes to the document. The opposition has said that the Law Minister and Prime Minister must both resign for trying to interfere with the CBI's enquiry into how the government assigned coal fields to private players without a transparent bidding process.
The CBI today gave the Supreme Court copies of the report that the Law Minister screened, and the actual report that the agency supplied. A comparison will establish the extent of the government's influence, if any.
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