The CBI Director today admitted before the Supreme Court that certain changes were made in the coalgate draft report on suggestions given by Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, Attorney General G E Vanahvati and the officials of PMO and Coal Ministry.
In its nine-page affidavit, CBI chief Ranjit Sinha gave details of the meetings which took place between the officials of the probe agency, the Law Minister, AG, then Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval and officials of PMO and Coal Ministry.
The submission made by Sinha contradicts the stand taken by the Law Minister and AG, who had refuted the allegation that they had suggested changes in the draft report.
The affidavit said the changes made in the draft report on the suggestion of the Law Minister and Vanahvati have “neither altered the report nor shifted the focus of inquiries in any manner”.
Sinha also said that “no names of suspects or accused were removed from the status report and also that no suspect or accused was let off in the process.”
“Majority of these changes were done by my officers in order to refine the report either on their own or in consultation with the ASG (Raval) and his assisting advocate or by Law minister. Besides, a few changes were also done on the suggestion of AG and officials of PMO and Coal Ministry,” Sinha said.
The Director, however, said, “It is difficult at this stage to attribute each change to a particular person with certainty.”