SC asks CVC to examine dispute over closure reports in 20 cases

The Supreme Court Friday asked the CVC to examine 20 cases where there is a dispute within the CBI between investigating officers and the senior officer whether closure report should be filed in them or not.

A bench of Justice R.M.Lodha, Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Kurian Joseph asked the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to examine 20 cases after senior counsel Amarendra Saran told the court that there were differences between investigating officers and their seniors on the fate of 20 preliminary inquiries.

Saran appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The court said that if in the course of the examination, the CVC requires more documents then the investigating agency would provide the same within three days.

The court also directed the CBI and the Directorate of Enforcement to submit latest status report on their investigation into coal scam till April 30 as it fixef May 7 as the next date of hearing.

The court also allowed the Income Tax department to examine certain documents relating to their investigation that are in the possession of the CBI.

Earlier in the course of the arguments on the scope of the power of CVC over the investigation by CBI, Saran favoured the continuation of existing arrangement as any other situation would throw open a whole lot of issues.

As Saran suggested that CBI would give the details of these cases to both the CVC and the court, Justice Lodha said: "We don't want to cross the limit where we enter the arena of supervision. This is a very dicey issue in view of the legal and constitutional provisions."

Appearing for NGO Common Cause, counsel Prashant Bhushan said that court must step in as there are a large number of cases were difference of opinion between the investigating officers and the senior officers of the CBI.

He said that court can ask CVC to examine contentious cases and report to the court and court in turn can pass appropriate orders.