New Delhi: The credibility of UPA-II government on Tuesday suffered a major jolt in the Supreme Court, when the court described the suppression of fact of the status report being shared with government executive as a ‘massive breach of trust’ during the hearing of the Coalgate scam case.
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha also called upon the government to ‘liberate CBI’ and directed CBI not to take instructions from its political masters in the investigation of cases.
The apex court questioned the government “Why was the fact that the report has been shared with the government suppressed on March 12?”
The top court also directed CBI to file a fresh affidavit by May 6 stating therein under what circumstances the draft status report in the Coalgate scam was shown to the government and what was the effect of the changes made in the draft report dated March 8, at the instance of Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, PMO and Coal Ministry officials.
During the 90-minute-long hearing, the apex court repeatedly came down heavily both on CBI as well as the Manmohan Singh government.
The apex court has fixed May 8 as the next date of hearing before which the CBI will have to file a fresh affidavit.
Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval, who made the statement on behalf of CBI on March 12 that the report has not been shared with any government executive, may quit by this evening.
U U Lalit is expected to be the new CBI Counsel in the case.
As per CAG report, the country suffered a colossal loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore due to the bungling in allocation of coal blocks during 2006-09 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was holding the coal portfolio.
Other judges in the bench are Justices Madan B Lokur and Kurien Joseph.
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha has welcomed the SC reservations and said the CBI shall comply with the directions of the SC and give all explanations sought by the apex court in the fresh affidavit.
Changes were made in draft probe report on coal scam: Dir CBI : Meanwhile, under attack for sharing the CBI probe report on coal blocks allocation scam with the government, agency Director Ranjit Sinha on Tuesday admitted that changes were made in the draft report and he has given full details of this to the Supreme Court.
Asked by reporters about the contents of the status report submitted to the apex court, Sinha said the agency has given full details about the original draft and the “amended draft” of the status report including changes that have been brought about and on whose instructions.
“Whatever Supreme Court has observed, we will reply to it in our affidavit before May 6,” he said.
Sinha said he would explain circumstances in which he went to the Law Minister’s office.
Earlier, the agency drew flak from the Supreme Court for sharing its status report with the Law Minister and senior officials of the PMO and the Coal ministry.
The apex court said that sharing of information with the government about the probe into the scam has “shaken the entire process”. (Agencies)