Coal scam: DMK seeks fair probe

CHENNAI: With CBI submitting before the apex court that its status report on coal allocation scam was "shared" with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, former UPA ally DMK today indicated that it sought a fair probe into the matter.

"My opinion is that everything should happen (in a) straightforward (manner)," DMK chief M Karunanidhi said in a terse reply when reporters asked for his response on the CBI's affidavit in the Supreme Court in this regard.

Setting off a political bombshell, CBI chief Ranjit Sinha on Friday had submitted before the apex court that the agency's status report on coal allocation scam was "shared" with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar "as desired by him" and that senior officials of PMO and Coal ministry had also seen it.

"I submit that the draft (status report)of the same was shared with Law Minister as desired by him prior to its submission before the Supreme Court....it was also shared with one joint secretary level officer each of Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Coal as desired by them," Sinha's affidavit says.