SC orders government to share files with CBI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government to "co-operate" and urgently share any documents requested by the CBI as part of its investigation into how coal mining licenses were issued to private firms. The CBI complained that the Coal Ministry has said it needs time to locate some files sought by investigators. "Coal-Gate" as the scandal has been dubbed is particularly sensitive for the government because for some of the years under review, the Prime Minister held direct charge of the Coal Ministry.

The Supreme Court also once again challenged the government's insistence on sanctioning the interrogation of senior officers. The court said that where it monitors investigations, the government's sign-off should not be needed, a stand the government has opposed earlier.

Coalgate erupted in 2012. After the government's auditor said that private firms got sweetheart deals because coal mining licenses were not auctioned; the CBI has said that the process of allocation lacked transparency and that basic background checks were not conducted by the government on firms which misrepresented financial records and technical expertise.
Earlier this year, the CBI conceded that a report on its investigation had been altered by officials in the Law Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office before it was submitted to the Supreme Court. Furious judges retaliated by ordering the government to share a plan to free the CBI from political interference.
The case will next be heard on August 29. (NDTV)