CBI today told the Supreme Court that "substantial progress" has been made by it in the coal block allocation scam probe and it was ready to file charge sheets in six of the cases within three weeks.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice R M Lodha also recorded CBI's statement that it would complete the probe on all preliminary inquiries and regular cases registered by it by April end.
Senior advocate Amrender Sharan and Amit Anand Tiwary, appearing for CBI stated that in six regular cases registered by the agency "the investigation is complete and the final report/chargesheet shall be filed within three weeks before an appropriate court.
"We record and accept the statement of senior counsel (Sharan) which obviously has been made on instruction," the bench, also comprising justices M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph said.
The court also passed an important direction giving liberty to CBI to proceed without the approval and consent of state government in its probe against the state-owned PSUs.
"As regards the state PSUs, we are informed that many states have so far not given consent under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act. Since this court is monitoring the investigation, a formal consent of concerned states for giving consent is dispensed within coal allocation cases," the bench said while rejecting the objections raised by Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The bench also issued notice and sought response of Central Vigilance Commission on the scope of section 8, particularly with clauses A, B and E of sub section 1 of the Central Vigilance Commission Act and section 4 of DSPE Act.
These provisions of CVC Act deals with the power of investigation.
Meanwhile, the CBI also placed before the court its latest status report in sealed envelope about the progress of investigation till December 31, 2013.
The CBI has initiated around 16 regular cases on coal block allocations, including those against MP Naveen Jindal and former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao in relation to coal block allocation and against K M Birla and against former coal secretary P C Parakh for alleged illegality in grant of blocks to Hindalco Industries Ltd.
