CBI be made independent in wake of Coalgate development: AAP

NEW DELHI: AAP today demanded that the matter of CBI's independence be immediately addressed by the Modi government in the wake of a Supreme Court-appointed panel indicting former CBI director Ranjit Sinha holding that prima facie there was an attempt to influence the probe into the coal block allocation scam.

"In light of this development, the matter of CBI's independence must be immediately addressed by the Modi government. AAP demands that CBI be made an independent body and the central government end the blatant misuse of the investigating agency," a party statement said.

Terming CBI as a "cagged parrot", the party said it should be "independent of political influences".

The apex court, which is monitoring the probe into Coalgate, was today told by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that the panel headed by former CBI special director M L Sharma has held that Sinha'a meetings with some of the high- profile accused in the scam prima facie indicated that there was an attempt to influence the investigation.