SC asks CBI director to probe ex-chief
New Delhi: Jan 24, 2017, DHNS
The Supreme Court on Monday directed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief Alok Kumar Verma to lead a special investigation team (SIT) to launch a probe against former director Ranjit Sinha in the coal block allocation scam.
A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Madan B Lokur noted that a “prima facie case has definitely been made out for investigation into the abuse of authority” by Sinha. The court relied upon an inquiry report submitted by former special director M L Sharma, who was given access to a visitors’ logbook, purportedly showing his meetings with several accused .
The bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, ordered Verma to pick two officers from the CBI and carry out a probe to ascertain whether Sinha’s meetings resulted in scuttling inquires, investigations and prosecutions being carried out by the agency in the court-monitored coal block allocation cases.
Sharma, after carrying out an inquiry, submitted his report that indicted Sinha over his private conversations with the accused and favoured for a criminal investigation.
In a first such instance, the apex court had on May 14, 2015, held that it was “completely inappropriate” for Sinha (then CBI director) to have met persons accused in the coal block allocation cases in absence of the investigating officer.
Sinha retired in November 2014, less than a fortnight after he was removed from the 2G probe by the apex court. “The CBI director will also take the Chief Vigilance Commissioner into confidence,” the court said, adding that Verma will take assistance of R S Cheema, special public prosecutor in the cases.
On a plea made by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of NGO Common Cause, the bench said an SIT probe outside the CBI was not required.
“Since there has been a change of guard in the CBI, we would continue to repose our faith in the impartiality of the CBI to look into the report prepared by M L Sharma and other relevant documents,” the bench said.
A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Madan B Lokur noted that a “prima facie case has definitely been made out for investigation into the abuse of authority” by Sinha. The court relied upon an inquiry report submitted by former special director M L Sharma, who was given access to a visitors’ logbook, purportedly showing his meetings with several accused .
The bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, ordered Verma to pick two officers from the CBI and carry out a probe to ascertain whether Sinha’s meetings resulted in scuttling inquires, investigations and prosecutions being carried out by the agency in the court-monitored coal block allocation cases.
Sharma, after carrying out an inquiry, submitted his report that indicted Sinha over his private conversations with the accused and favoured for a criminal investigation.
In a first such instance, the apex court had on May 14, 2015, held that it was “completely inappropriate” for Sinha (then CBI director) to have met persons accused in the coal block allocation cases in absence of the investigating officer.
Sinha retired in November 2014, less than a fortnight after he was removed from the 2G probe by the apex court. “The CBI director will also take the Chief Vigilance Commissioner into confidence,” the court said, adding that Verma will take assistance of R S Cheema, special public prosecutor in the cases.
On a plea made by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of NGO Common Cause, the bench said an SIT probe outside the CBI was not required.
“Since there has been a change of guard in the CBI, we would continue to repose our faith in the impartiality of the CBI to look into the report prepared by M L Sharma and other relevant documents,” the bench said.
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