Coalgate: ASG Raval accuses Attorney General of interfering with the CBI report; Says he is being made a scapegoat

In another twist to the ongoing “Coalgate” scam, Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval has sent a letter to the Attorney General, Goolam E. Vahanvati (pictured) accusing the AG of influencing the CBI’s investigation into the coal scam..This accusation by ASG Raval comes right before the hearing at the Supreme Court today, when the Court is likely to express its views on the affidavit submitted by CBI’s Director. The affidavit was submitted after the Supreme Court’s directions on March 12, 2013 asking the CBI to state in writing that the report had not been seen by anybody from the “political executive.”.The affidavit states that the CBI’s status report on the multi-crore coal allocation scam was shared with the Law Minister, as desired by him. This stance is in direct contradiction of the submission made by ASG Raval. Earlier, the ASG had informed the three-judge Bench hearing the matter that no one from the government had seen the CBI report..As per this report:.Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval has written to Attorney General GE Vahanvati, accusing him of trying to shape not just this but other cases being handled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).In his letter, Mr Raval says that he is being made a “scapegoat.” Sources say he is likely to resign soon, and that his letter is meant to explain why the spectre of misconduct has lurked around him…..He says that it was the Attorney General who sent him an SMS asking him to attend a meeting on March 5 at the office of the Law Minister. Also present were CBI Director Ranjit Sinha and the CBI officer directly in charge of the coal investigation, OP Galhotra..The CBI has already decided to replace ASG Raval with Senior Advocate UU Lalit as its counsel..Update: The full text of ASG Raval’s letter can be read here (Letter via IBN Live)