Ashwani Kumar meets PM

law Minister Ashwani Kumar Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the wake of the Supreme Court pulling up the government over the CBI probe into coal blocks allocations.

Ashwani Kumar is believed to have discussed the observations made by the apex court that expressed its displeasure at government interference in the coal allocation probe report of the Central Bureau of Investigation. An official, however, said it was a "regular meeting".

The court had said Wednesday that the heart of the CBI report was changed on the suggestions of the minister and government officials. The court had also asked the government whether it was contemplating a law to make the working of the CBI independent and insulate it from extraneous intrusion and interferences.

The court's observations came on CBI director Ranjit Sinha's second affidavit filed Monday stating that Ashwani Kumar and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office and the coal ministry had made certain changes in the report on the allocation of coal blocks. Following the Supreme Court's observations Wednesday, the BJP renewed its attack on Ashwani Kumar and reiterated its demand for his resignation.