Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Monday avoided commenting on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on the coal scam, saying if at all the UPA Government has anything to say, it would articulate its position through its law officers in the appropriate court.
“I do not know what the CBI has filed. And, as someone who has been trained as a lawyer and practiced as a lawyer, I do not comment on matters, which are sub-judice in court without perusing them personally,” Tewari told mediapersons outside Parliament here.
“However, we have always maintained and I will reiterate that in a matter, which is sub-judice before a court, if at all the Union of India has anything to say it would articulate its position through its law officers in the appropriate court,” he added.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ranjit Sinha on Monday filed a nine-page affidavit in the Supreme Court on the coal scam.
The affidavit states that Law and Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar made some changes in the status report related to alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks. This could have a potential bearing on Kumar”s continuance in the Union Cabinet.
The affidavit also states that changes in the status report were made on suggestions given by Attorney General G E Vahanvati, an official in the Prime Minister”s Office (PMO) and Kumar.
The affidavit also said former Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval and Vahanvati were present in the meeting with the law minister.
The affidavit also mentions that Kumar called the March 6 meeting because he wanted to peruse the contents of the status report.
A day ahead of filing a crucial affidavit in the apex court on coal scam, the CBI director had affirmed that the agency”s probe into the matter was “clean and clear” and that no accused or suspect had been let off.
The apex court had earlier asked the government to restore the independent position of the CBI with regard to its probe of coal block allocations.
It said that the government has shaken the entire process of investigation by asking the CBI Director Ranjit Sinha to show the draft report to Law for alleged vetting before its submission to the apex court.
“Why was the apex court kept in dark about the sharing of probe report with the government,” a bench of the Supreme Court asked the CBI counsel.
It said that CBI should not be influenced by its masters and its independent position must be restored.
“Our first exercise will be to liberate the CBI from political interference. You don”t need to take instructions from political masters,” the apex court said.
———–ANI