After 2G, CBI director gets SC notice in coal scam

Yesterday, the court had said it may cancel Sinha's decisions if allegations against him are proved

A day after a Supreme Court Bench issued a notice to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ranjit Sinha for allegedly protecting some accused in the telecom spectrum case, another Bench on Tuesday sought explanation from him on similar allegations in the coal scam.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha issued notice to the CBI director on a plea seeking a special investigation team probe against him for allegedly protecting the accused in the coal block allocation scam.

Granting 10 days to file a response to the allegations, the Bench, however, refused to pass any order for recusal of Sinha in the case.

The court posted the case for further hearing on September 19.

The Bench observed that an order had already been passed by another Bench of the apex court against Sinha and no further order was required.

But advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for a non-government organisation (NGO), which filed an application against Sinha, contended Monday’s order was on the 2G case and the court could pass an order pertaining to the coal scam.

Thereafter, the Bench agreed to issue a notice to Sinha and posted the case after the next date of hearing on the 2G scam, to take place on September 15, when the apex court will look into the response filed by the CBI director.

In the application filed in the court, NGO Common Cause had referred to reports about the entry register at Sinha’s residence containing names of “influential” persons allegedly involved in the coal scam.

It accused him of scuttling the probe in the “high magnitude” coal scam case, in which 20 first information reports for offences of corruption, cheating and criminal conspiracy have been lodged and two chargesheets filed in the trial court.