Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks on missing coal files in Parliament
New Delhi:
A report that an officer investigating the "Coal-gate" scam wanted to examine Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be raised in the Supreme Court today, as part of a hearing on whether the government needs to have a say for CBI to probe officers.
The controversial report is likely to stir up a hearing in court where the Centre, CBI and petitioners will argue on whether the government needs to sanction any probe against public servants in court-monitored cases like the coal scam.
The CBI - which was earlier compared by the Supreme Court to a 'caged parrot' dancing to the tune of its political masters - has said there is no need to take the government's permission in the coal scam. But the Centre has strongly opposed the CBI's view.
A news report had said on Wednesday that a CBI investigating officer, KR Chaurasia, had documented the "requirement" to question the Prime Minister, but the agency's Director, Ranjit Sinha, said it was unnecessary at this stage.
The report sparked fireworks in Parliament, with the main opposition BJP saying in both houses that the PM must volunteer himself for CBI questioning in the coal probe and the missing files related to the allocation of coal blocks, allegedly in violation of rules and at throwaway prices that robbed the government of thousands of crores in revenue.
The BJP alleges that a lot of the missing files relate to coal block allotments made when the PM was in charge of the coal ministry from 2006 to 2009.
The controversial report is likely to stir up a hearing in court where the Centre, CBI and petitioners will argue on whether the government needs to sanction any probe against public servants in court-monitored cases like the coal scam.
The CBI - which was earlier compared by the Supreme Court to a 'caged parrot' dancing to the tune of its political masters - has said there is no need to take the government's permission in the coal scam. But the Centre has strongly opposed the CBI's view.
A news report had said on Wednesday that a CBI investigating officer, KR Chaurasia, had documented the "requirement" to question the Prime Minister, but the agency's Director, Ranjit Sinha, said it was unnecessary at this stage.
The report sparked fireworks in Parliament, with the main opposition BJP saying in both houses that the PM must volunteer himself for CBI questioning in the coal probe and the missing files related to the allocation of coal blocks, allegedly in violation of rules and at throwaway prices that robbed the government of thousands of crores in revenue.
The BJP alleges that a lot of the missing files relate to coal block allotments made when the PM was in charge of the coal ministry from 2006 to 2009.
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