New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to share details of its investigations into the coal scam with anybody. The apex court said that the CBI Director will be held directly responsible for it.
"The report will not be shared with law officers or any minister concerned," the SC said.
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha told CNN-IBN that the court orders will be respected. "I will ensure qualitative and thorough probe in coal scam. In future, we will not meet and share with any government authority regarding any probe," he said.
The SC further directed former CBI DIG Ranjit Kanta to resume his charge of the case. Kanta was transferred after he sought deputation to the Intelligence Bureau.
The CBI assured the apex court that its observations will be followed by the agency "in letter and spirit". "The CBI will follow directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in letter and spirit. CBI assures the Hon'ble Court of a thorough and qualitative investigation as desired."
It added, "The probe officer will be restored and we will ask MHA to comply with the order."
The SC on Wednesday lambasted the government and the CBI over the shoddy investigations and the alleged political interference in the coal scam case. Calling the CBI a caged parrot that only spoke in its master's voice, the SC, in a strong censure, called for making the investigative agency an autonomous body.
The apex court, however, was quick to add that giving unbridled powers to the CBI was not a possibility.
The SC also came down heavily on Attorney General GE Vahanvati and former Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval who had backed the former's claims that the CBI report on the coal scam had not been shared with political leaders.
Vahanvati sought to deflect charges against him saying he never sought the CBI report but was only acting on the instructions of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar. Sources say that Ashwani is likely to submit his resignation by Wednesday evening.
The SC also asked how "on earth" could the joint secretaries of the PMO and the Coal Ministry be party to the meet between the CBI and the Law Minister and how could they see the CBI's report and suggest changes to it.
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