CBI plea to quiz coal ministry official MP Dixit rejected

NEW DELHI: The government has denied CBI sanction to prosecute a top officer with the coal ministry, MP Dixit, for corruption. It comes at a time when a Group of Ministers is looking at ways to give functional autonomy to CBI, called a 'caged parrot' by the SC.

CBI had already filed a charge-sheet over a year ago. Its request for sanctioning prosecution has been with the coal ministry since November 1, 2011. The ministry informed CBI about its decision to decline prosecution in Dixit's case, citing 'weak evidence' against the officer and CBI's move not to seek prior sanction before lodging an FIR in 2010, as per norms, since Dixit was above a Joint Secretary-level officer.