'CBI's coal-gate report shared with Ashwani, but not diluted'

Central Bureau of Investigator Director Rajit Sinha is likely to inform the Supreme Court that the probe agency's report on the controversial coal mine allocation was shared with Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar but will make it clear there was no dilution of the document.

Official sources said on Monday that the CBI chief would also inform the apex court that the additional solicitor general had overstepped his brief when he told it that the report was not seen by anyone in the political establishment.

Sinha, who will submit his affidavit as directed by Supreme Court on April 25, is using services of private lawyer U Lalit after Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval appearing for the agency, had told the Supreme Court that the report in the alleged irregularities in coal mine allocation has not been shared with anyone.

However, the sources claimed no such briefing given to the law officer.

The sources said such a statement became embarrassing for the agency after news reports claimed that the contents of the status report were allegedly shared with the Law Minister and officials in the Prime Minister's Office.

The agency, which has termed the reports as speculative, however did not deny the alleged toning down of the status report at the instance of the law minister or officials in the PMO.

In the wake of the embarrassment, the agency has decided to hire a private lawyer to file the affidavit by the CBI director as directed by the Supreme Court by April 25.

On March 12, after the submission of the CBI counsel before the Supreme Court that the status report in coal scam had not been shared with anyone, the apex court had directed the CBI director to file an affidavit that the status report submitted by the agency was "vetted by him and not shared with political executives.

Image: Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar