Law Minister Ashwani Kumar
The Supreme Court is examining the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) nine-page affidavit that details the changes that the agency alleges were made by Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and others to its report on the coal investigation.
The court today expressed concern over Centre's interference in CBIprobe in coal scam and other cases. It wanted to know if the Law Minister can ask CBI to show details of probe or status report in a case involving people of other ministries and PMO.
The affidavit, submitted in the court on Monday, says Mr Kumar deleted a finding on non-preparation of broadsheets or charts by the screening committee and a sentence about scope of inquiry on legality of allocation.
The court will take up the matter next on July 10.
The Supreme Court today observed:
- It's a sordid saga that there are many masters and one parrot.
- While making CBI answerable to the Government, no part of investigation can be touched.
- The heart of the report was changed on the suggestions of government officials.
- CBI must know how to stand up against all pulls and pressures by government and its officials.
- No substantial progress has been made in the coal scam probe after registration of the case.
- Probe report is not a progress report to be shared with government and its officials
- Court pulls up Joint Secretaries of PMO and Coal Ministry for meeting CBI officials and suggesting changes in the draft report.
- Court wants to know can Law Minister ask CBI to show details of probe or status report in a case involving people of other ministries and PMO.
- Does it not subvert integrity of investigation if changes are brought in status report on suggestion of Law Minister and government officers?
- Right now we concerned with two ministries.They were only called to supply information. What business do they have to peruse report?
- How on earth could you (CBI) make it available when the report was to be given to the Court?
- Even if administrative superintendence is there, the investigation must be left alone.
- As far as CBI goes, steps were to be taken that independence was given and that control was to be only of administrative.
- Will the government attempt a legislation to free CBI from its clutches?
- Job of CBI is not to interact with government officials but to interrogate to find the truth.
- Court asks why it needs to get involved 15 years after Vineet Narain judgment to keep CBI autonomous
- Court has ordered the probe team head, who was transferred earlier, to be reinstated.
- Court guidelines:
- If any change in composition is to be done, the CBI will come to the Court.
- There will be no interaction with any person without permission of the Court and no one will be allowed to peruse the report
- An undertaking will be given that absolutely no person will get to study the periodical reports.
- CBI will follow directions of the Honourable Supreme Court of India in letter and spirit
- CBI assures the court of a thorough and qualitative investigation as desired
- Attorney General GE Vahanvati told the Court:
- My meeting with CBI officials took place only on suggestions of the Law Minister
- I have neither asked nor got CBI's probe report in coal scam
- ANI tweet on court observations: If CBI is working under political influence should the Supreme Court exercise for autonomy for the CBI?
- ANI tweet on court observations: CBI cannot be given unbridled power; an unruly horse is a dangerous thing.