The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to come out with a law to insulate CBI from external influence and intrusion. After going through CBI Director's affidavit on coal scam probe the Apex Court expressed concern over Centre's interference in CBI probe in coal scam and other cases. It directed the CBI not to share progress of probe or any report or material with anybody other than its 33-member team and Director. The Court pulled up Joint Secretaries of PMO and Coal Ministry for meeting CBI officials and suggesting changes in the draft report. It said that the job of CBI is not to interact with government officials but to interrogate to find the truth. The Court observed that probe report is not a progress report to be shared with government and its officials. It said that the CBI must know how to stand up against all pulls and pressures by government and its officials. It also observed that the heart of the report was changed on the suggestions of government officials. The Apex Court said it will consider various aspects, including setting up of an Special Investigation Team(SIT) to look after the probe into coal blocks allocation scam. During today's hearing, the bench said no substantial progress has been made in the coal scam probe after registration of the case. Attorney General G E Vahavati, who had submitted before the court earlier that he had not seen the CBI report, today stuck to his stand.

The CBI has assured the Supreme Court of a thorough and qualitative investigation in the coal blocks allocation case as desired by the apex court. Official sources in the CBI said, the investigating agency will follow the directions of the Court in letter and spirit.