SC criticises government for vetting CBI report

New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) In scathing criticism of the government's interference in the CBI probe into the allocation of coal blocks, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the CBI director to file an affidavit stating the changes made in the draft report vetted by Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.

While underlining the need to liberate the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from extraneous influences, an apex court bench headed by Justice R.M. Lodha said the affidavit to be filed by the agency's director should be "absolutely complete and truthful".

The court has also sought the names and other details of the officers engaged in the investigation into the allocation of coal blocks.

During the course of the hearing that lasted nearly two hours, the court enquired whether Law Minister Ashwani Kumar had the authority to call for status reports from the investigating agencies.

The court noted that the manner in which the probe had been interfered with frustrated the very independence of the investigating agency.