Court pulls up CBI for trying to segregate cases in coal scam

A special court on Wednesday pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for trying to segregate one of the cases arising out of the coal block allocation scam to keep it away from being tried by it and seeking its transfer to a regular court.

The court was anguished that the CBI, which itself had got the case transferred to it from the regular court by citing a Supreme Court order, was seeking re-transfer of the case against two government officials on the ground that it was different from those being monitored by the apex court.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar said it was strange that despite relying on the Supreme Court's July 25 order on setting up of Special Court for coalgate, the CBI prosecutor and the investigating officer (IO) have not gone through it and were making distinction between the cases probed by its two wings-anti-corruption unit and economic offences wing.

The CBI, during the proceedings, later withdrew its application for transfer of the case from the Special Court to the regular court.

The judge expressed his displeasure that the CBI sought to make its own categorisation of the cases without consulting the apex court appointed Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) RS Cheema, who has been authorised to examine documents relating to the scam.

"Have you (prosecutor) gone through the Supreme Court's order of July 25... The CBI is relying on the Supreme Court's order but you are saying you have not gone through it. This is strange," the judge observed and added, "You (CBI) are not preferring to talk to SPP appointed by the Supreme Court. The CBI has to take a stand." The remarks were made by the Special Judge as both the prosecutor and the IO replied in the negative to his question whether they have gone through the apex court order.