CBI nails PMO, Ashwani Kumar

• CBI submits fresh affidavit to SC
• Admits status report was shared with PMO, LawA Minister
• CBI silent on whether the report was changed
• SC decision on the CBI affidavit on April 30
• Sonia defends Ashwani Kumar, says no resignation
• BJP demands PM's resignation l Both Cong and BJP to wait for court decision

Anita Saluja

New Delhi: It is not only Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who finds himself in the dock on the coalgate scam. With the CBI filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Friday that it shared the status report with the Law Minister and one Joint-Secretary level officer each in PMO and Coal Ministry, the BJP-led NDA is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, besides Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, who is at the receiving-end for having tampered with the report.

The Congress Core Group meeting, which met under the leadership of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, has preferred to wait till April 30 when the Supreme Court is expected to take a view on the CBI affidavit.A In the affidavit filed before the Apex Court, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha admitted, "In respect of the query raised by this Hon'ble Court about sharing of the contents of the Status Report dated 8th March, 2013, with the political executive, I submit that the draft of the same was shared with Hon'ble Union Minister for Law and Justice as desired by him, prior to its submission before this Hon'ble Court.

Besides the political executive, it was also shared with one Joint Secretary-level officer each of Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Coal, as desired by them."A The CBI Director, however, assured the Apex Court that the "present" Status Report was not shared with any political executive in any manner whatsoever. A In respect to further Status Reports, he gave the undertaking that he will not share the same with the political executive.

Talking to The Hans India, Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, after his meeting with the Prime Minister, expressed his innocence, saying, "I am not the political executive of the CBI. I have no powers to summon the CBI Director and I have not snatched any papers from him. As Law Minister, my job is that of legal advisor.

At that meeting, those present included the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General and the Additional Solicitor-General representing the CBI, besides the CBI Director. The issue at question was the format in which it should be submitted to the Supreme Court. Should it be an application to be submitted in a sealed envelope or should it be filed as an affidavit. I have not accessed any of the status reports. There was no interference in the investigation process. It was my job to attend to legal formalities."

In the Congress Core Group meeting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi defended Ashwani Kumar, saying that there was no need to listen to each and every demand of the Opposition. The Allies � NCP, NC, IUML � which were taken on board soon after the Congress Core Group meeting, supported Sonia's stand that they need not take steps in a hurry, as it would also pave the way for yet another demand of the Opposition, asking for Prime Minister's resignation.

A wait-and-watch attitude would be adopted till April 30, when the Supreme Court is expected to take cognizance of the CBI status report. Besides the demand for removal of the Prime Minister and the Law Minister, the UPA government is also worried on how to end the impasse in parliament arising out of the coalgate ruckus. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath sought the cooperation of NDA Working Chairman L K Advani, whom he met on running the House.

He was keen that the Opposition should allow the government to pass the Finance Bill peacefully, before they unanimously decide to conclude the Budget Session of parliament, which can be termed as a complete washout. Kamal Nath would be meeting leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj on Monday to seek her cooperation. But the latter, too, is expected to wait till Tuesday, before giving any assurance on letting the House to function.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley did not mince words when he said that the buck stops at the door of the Prime Minister, who, all this while, had told Parliament that CBI was working independently. This has gone well beyond the Law Minister now. The Prime Minister's Office must explain in what context was a PMO official shown the draft of the coal report, he insisted.

"The buck stops at a complete truth being coming out. And the complete truth is to what extent was the status report altered? And if the PMO was involved in it, I think this should conclude the Lokpal debate as far as the question of autonomy and independence of the CBI is concerned. The government has been caught really with its pants down."