New Delhi: The Supreme Court will examine the status report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the coal scam today. The top court will also consider the Centre's affidavit on autonomy for the CBI - a directive issued by the court last month after revelations by the agency that its probe report on the coal scandal had been shared with the government.
The CBI had, on Monday, submitted its progress report on the probe into the allocation of coal blocks in a sealed cover. In its report, the CBI has reportedly said that while they will abide by the Supreme Court's direction and not share any details of their investigation, they may have to in special circumstances - like in the event of seeking the government's sanction for prosecution.
The Supreme Court had, during the last hearing, said that only the investigating officers and the CBI Director should know the details of the probe. The top court had taken strong exception to the fact that then Law Minister Ashwani Kumar as well as officials from the Prime Minister's Office and the Coal Ministry had vetted the CBI's status report on its investigations into what is known as Coal-gate.
The government, last week, submitted a 41-page affidavit which proposed that the Director of the CBI will be selected by a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. But the agency has been denied the right to hire its own lawyers, which would have given it greater autonomy in politically sensitive investigations. And though its budget has been enhanced, expenses, even minor ones like an officer traveling abroad, still need the government's sanction.
The CBI had, on Monday, submitted its progress report on the probe into the allocation of coal blocks in a sealed cover. In its report, the CBI has reportedly said that while they will abide by the Supreme Court's direction and not share any details of their investigation, they may have to in special circumstances - like in the event of seeking the government's sanction for prosecution.
The Supreme Court had, during the last hearing, said that only the investigating officers and the CBI Director should know the details of the probe. The top court had taken strong exception to the fact that then Law Minister Ashwani Kumar as well as officials from the Prime Minister's Office and the Coal Ministry had vetted the CBI's status report on its investigations into what is known as Coal-gate.
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The government, last week, submitted a 41-page affidavit which proposed that the Director of the CBI will be selected by a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. But the agency has been denied the right to hire its own lawyers, which would have given it greater autonomy in politically sensitive investigations. And though its budget has been enhanced, expenses, even minor ones like an officer traveling abroad, still need the government's sanction.
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