Coal Scam Case: Senior Counsel RS Cheema seeks permission to be relieved as Special Public Prosecutor in ED cases

Senior Counsel RS Cheema today sought Supreme Court’s permission to be relieved as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Coal Scam case, citing lack of public prosecutors to deal with the mountain of work in the case..Cheema told the Supreme Court today that as many as 20 complaints by the ED have been filed in the Coal Scam case, but cognizance has been taken only in four thus far. There is only one other prosecutor appointed to assist Cheema with these cases..On the ground of being unable to handle the large volume of cases, Cheema sought Court’s leave to relieve him as the SPP for the ED. He, however, stated that he would not be opposed to continuing as the SPP for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)..Cheema made the request when the matter relating to the repatriation of some ED officials associated with the Coal Scam case was taken up by the Bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant today..On the request made by Cheema, Justice Gupta suggested that a panel of prosecutors be appointed for Cheema’s assistance. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the agencies, urged the Court not to pass any orders and submitted that he would sit down with Cheema to discuss the issue..On Mehta’s assurance, Justice Gupta said that Cheema may continue as the SPP for the time being and that the Court would pass relevant orders on this request in December when the matter will taken up next..On the issue of repatriation of ED officials, the Court today directed that those officers who are not investigating officers but are in a supervisory position may be repatriated since their deputation with the agency is complete. The repatriated officers shall be replaced with officers of the same rank, the Court added..[Read Order]