CBI wants SC to ease order on sharing of coal probe

New Delhi, July 8: The CBI has asked the Supreme Court to to modify its earlier order of restricting the agency from sharing the probe report with any other government department.

The apex court, during the last hearing, had said that only the investigating officers and the CBI director should know details of the progress of the case. The agency wants relaxation of the order as it has to share certain details with other departments during investigation.

The CBI had stated in its May affidavit that former law minister Ashwani Kumar, Attorney General GE Vahanvati and officials from the PMO and the Coal Ministry had seen the agency's report and suggested changes to it.

The request for modification of the restrain order was made while filing a status report on the coalgate probe before the Supreme Court a in a sealed envelop.

The CBI status report on the coal blocks allocation scam gives an account of status of 13 FIRs and 3 Preliminary Enquiries.

The agency is probing alleged irregularities in the allocation of 192 coal blocks which were made between 1993 to 2011. It has questioned various government officials including former coal secretary HC Gupta for their role in the scam.

The CBI had recorded statements of two officials of the Prime Minister's Office as part of its probe. The case is sensitive for the government because for some of the years under scrutiny, the Prime Minister held direct charge of the Coal Ministry.

The case has led to setting into process a possible freedom plan for the the CBI from the political control.

OneIndia News