I am part of govt: CBI chief

Sinha said that he had shared the status report of coal block allocation probe with law minister, not with an outsider

Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha today said the agency was not an autonomous body, but a part of the government. Sinha also told reporters he had shared the status report of the coal block allocation probe with the law minister, not with an outsider.

"I am part of the government. I am not an autonomous body. I have not shown it to any outside person. I have shown it to the law minister of the country. I will inform the Supreme Court about any situation arising out of that. The decision of Supreme Court will be acceptable," Sinha said.

The CBI director had on Friday submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying he shared the draft status report on the coal block allocation probe with the law minister, as desired by him, and two joint secretary level officers of the Prime Minister's Office and the coal ministry. Sinha had also assured the apex court that reports would not be shared with any political executive.

CBI does not have an independent constitutional status, unlike the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Union Public Service Commission, the Election Commission.

Sinha said he had no regrets about what had happened. Later, the investigative agency issued a clarification that the CBI director wished to express that the agency did not exist in isolation.

"We are a part of a system and need to consult and take opinion on certain occasions," the statement said.

The court has asked the CBI director to clarify why the status report of March 8 did not disclose the fact that the draft report had been shared with the executive, political or official. LEGAL TANGLE
Timeline of coal scam

Sep 4, 2012: CBI registers five cases against companies. Total of 11 cases registered till now
Mar 8, 2013: CBI submits status report on coal block allocation scam to Supreme Court
Mar 12: Additional Solicitor-General Haren
Raval tells the court the status report was not shared

Apr 26: CBI Director
Ranjit Sinha, in an affidavit, admits status report was shared with law minister and senior officials of the coal ministry and the Prime Minister's Office
Apr 30: Supreme Court asks CBI director to file fresh affidavit in the case before May 6; court wants to know why the status report of March 8 did not disclose that the draft report was shared

• SC asks basis on which Raval stated on March 12 that the status report was not shared with anyone
• CBI to inform apex court about the procedure being followed under its manual or guidelines on sharing status report

Apr 30: Raval resigns as additional solicitor-general