Supreme Court restrains CBI from filing closure reports or charge-sheets in coal scam

The Supreme Court on Friday restrained the CBI from filing any closure report or any charge-sheet in coal block allocation scam following serious allegations against its director Ranjit Sinha for meeting the accused and derailing the probe.

A bench headed by chief justice R M Lodha said, "Don't take any precipitate action. You wait till the matter is taken up by the bench for next hearing and don't take any final decision on any case," the bench, also comprising justices M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, told CBI officials.

The court was hearing the NGO Common Cause's plea for recusal of the director from the cases on the ground of his alleged meeting with the accused.

CBI counsel Amerendra Saran told the court that the agency has filed three RCs against SKS Ispat Ltd headed by Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay, who has allegedly met Sinha at his residence here. Sinha, however, clarified that Sahay is a family friend.

The court was also informed that against another Congress MP Vijay Darda also three RCs were lodged.

Justice Lodha, who will retire on September 27, also told the counsel of the parties that next chief Justice H L Dattu will take a decision that which bench will hear the case on October 17 the next date of hearing.