Ahead of coal scam hearing on Tuesday, the CBI on Monday moved the Supreme Court for permission to add an officer into its probe team comprising 39 officials. The CBI had earlier filed its status report in sealed cover which the Court would examine during the case hearing.
The hearing will be significant considering the fact that an application has been moved by one of the petitioners Ml Sharma demanding to interrogate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with the coal block allocation to Hindalco during PM’s tenure as Coal Minister. The status report of CBI is expected to throw light on the evidence gathered by CBI that led it to lodge the 14th FIR in the case against Hindalco’s head Kumar Mangalam Birla and former Coal Secretary PC Parakh.
The application by Sharma has demanded explanation from CBI for sparing Prime Minister from the ambit of probe despite Parakh issuing a statement that PM was aware and had approved of the last-minute decision to accommodate Hindalco for Talabira coal blocks situated in Odisha. The sequence of events attached with the application suggested that the allocation was initially in favour of Mahanadi Coalfields and Neyveli lignite Corporation. But following a representation sent by Birla to PM, the decision was taken to provide Hindalco a share from the coal block.
With the ambit of probe increasing, the CBI’s latest application demanded inclusion of an investigation officer in the probe team of the rank of Inspector who has held past experience of probing similar coal block allocations. The agency would supply the CV of the officer in a sealed cover. An application accompanying this request said, “Considering the reasons disclosed in the sealed cover, it would be in the interest of justice, if this court may be pleased to allow the present application permitting the CBI to add one more CBI officer to the present team of 39 officers.”
The agency had on August 29 faced the ire of the apex court for tardy probe. The bench had taken serious exception to the slow pace of investigation by complaining that the agency was still in the “first gear” and needed to gather speed. The apex court directed CBI to conclude the probe against all coal block beneficiaries by December this year.