Coal Scam: SC gives CBI chief ten days to respond to allegations of protecting accused

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ranjit Sinha,in which it asked him to respond within ten days to allegations that he was protecting some of the accused involved the coal scam.

The apex court issued the ruling in response to a plea that sought Sinha's removal from his post and a SIT probe against him for allegedly protecting the accused in the coal scam.

The Supreme Court has now posted the matter for further hearing on September 19.

The NGO Common Cause, represented by Prashant Bhushan, whose PIL led to the declaration of 218 coal block allocations as illegal, moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of Sinha from his post of CBI director. It had also asked the apex court to set up a Special investigation Team (SIT) to probe the "abuse of authority committed by the CBI director to scuttle inquiries, investigations and prosecutions carried out by the agency in coal block allocation cases and other important cases".

This comes is the midst of strong allegations that Sinha had met several of the accused in the coal and 2G scams at his residence multiple times over the past few months.

The CBI next moved the court against the NGO for making "false statements" against Sinha.

The Supreme Court told the CBI chief on Monday that the accusations against him were serious and that the court was watching the 2G investiation closely.

"The Supreme Court wants a fair trial. If we find there was some derailment of the entire investigation, the court will take a particular view," the Supreme Court said.