New Delhi: The Supreme Court today rapped the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for delay in concluding investigations into the coal scam. Making clear its “unhappiness” over the progress made by the agency, the top court asked the CBI to wrap it up at the earliest and not seek any further extension of time.
"We make clear our unhappiness at the investigation getting prolonged and we expect CBI to conclude investigation at the earliest without seeking further extension of time," a three-judge bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said.
The court was critical of the CBI at the very outset when it sought permission for an administrative change allowing an officer to leave the team probing coal scam cases and said, "Something has to be done. It can't go on like this."
The bench, also comprising justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, said the CBI was asked to conclude the investigation by December 31, 2014 but the probe had still not got over.
"This court has extended the time and over 15 to 20 new cases have been added to the list. Investigation is complete in most of the cases," senior advocate Amrendra Sharan, appearing for the CBI said and asked the court not record its unhappiness in the order, but his plea was disallowed. Sharan had claimed the investigation done by CBI was "very fast".
The bench asked the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI to file fresh status reports for the period till December 31, 2015 by January 5, 2016 and fixed the case for furtherhearing on January 11.
(With PTI inputs)
