Former CBI officer to assist CVC probe against Ranjit Sinha

Former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special director M L Sharma will assist the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in its probe against former CBI chief Ranjit Sinha for allegedly scuttling the CBI investigation into the coal block allocation scam, the Supreme Court was informed on Monday.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a Bench headed by judge M B Lokur, who is monitoring the probe in the coal blocks allocation scam, that Sharma had agreed to undertake the assignment. However, the former CBI officer has sought time to select the officers to assist him in the inquiry, Rohatgi added.

The Bench, also comprising judges Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, took on record the statement of the Attorney General and posted the matter for hearing on August 10.

Sharma had on July 6 emerged the first choice of the Supreme Court to assist the CVC, after the anti-corruption watchdog said it did not have its own investigating arm.

The Bench had on May 14 admonished Sinha for “completely inappropriate” meetings with coal scam accused in the absence of investigating officers and said “further inquiry is necessary” to ascertain the fairness and impact of his conduct.

The Bench had sought the CVC’s assistance to determine the methodology for conducting such an inquiry on whether his meetings with the accused had any impact on the investigations, the subsequent chargesheets or closure reports filed by the CBI.

Rohatgi had submitted that since the CVC did not have its own investigating arm, the investigators from CBI and the Enforcement Directorate who are not associated with coal cases could be asked to assist the anti-corruption watchdog.

Non-governmental organisation Common Cause had sought a probe by a Special Investigation Team into Sinha’s actions.