CBI delinks seizure from coal scam, SC dissatisfied
Supreme Court of India
New Delhi: Even as the CBI strongly denied that the seizure of Rs 25 crores in the search operations conducted on October 15, 2013 at Aditya Birla Group’s Corporate Office in Mumbai has any link to ‘coal allocation case’, the Supreme Court, not satisfied with the response, indicated on Monday that it would examine whether the scope of the probe can be enlarged.
The coal bench comprising Justices Madan B. Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A.K. Sikri disagreed with the submission made by senior counsel Amarendra Saran, appearing for the CBI that soon after the seizure the matter was entrusted to the Income tax department and Enforcement Directorate, which are looking into it. He said the CBI had completed its probe and forwarded the report to the ED.
Counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Common Cause told the court that besides the recovery of a huge stash of unaccounted cash worth Rs 25 crore, a diary and other incriminating documents were also seized.
The bench told Mr Saran even if the recovery of the diary or the case did not relate to coal allocation, the CBI should have found out whether there was any criminality in the materials or documents.
The bench, however, asked Mr Bhushan whether the bench monitoring coal case can enlarge the scope and direct further investigation into other aspects not related to coal scam.
Mr Bhushan said the apex court dealing with the controversial tape conversations involving former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others had also directed the CBI to conduct a probe. The bench said it would await ED’s response and take a call on this aspect and posted the matter for further hearing on September 21.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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