Coal scam: Supreme Court dismisses plea against ex-CBI chief Ranjit Sinha

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to involve the panel, probing alleged misconduct of former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, in the investigation of the coal scam to consider such purported charges arising against him from other cases.

A bench headed by Justice M B Lokur said there was no Special Investigating Team (SIT) formed to look against the allegations as suggested by a businessman, who is facing charges of cheating in cases other than the coal scam.

When the counsel appearing for Prem Chand Garg, managing director of Shri Lal Mahal Ltd, submitted that there was "no embargo" on the panel headed by former CBI Special Director M L Sharma to look into other alleged misconduct against Sinha, the bench said "there is an embargo".

The bench, also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, dismissed the plea of Garg against whom the CBI said there was a red-corner notice.

"The intervenor application is dismissed. Liberty granted to the petitioner to approach Karnataka High Court. We make it clear that this court has not formed any SIT to probe such allegations," the bench said.

Garg had alleged that Sinha being the CBI Director had threatened and demanded Rs 25 crore to dilute the cheating case against him at Bangalore.

The counsel said that Garg be allowed to record his statements before the SIT, a referrence of which has also been made in Karnataka High Court order.