A Supreme Court bench comprising of justices Madan B Lokur, Kurian Joseph and AK Sikri finally gave the go-ahead today (14 September), to the inquiry team led by former CBI special director ML Sharma to probe the visitors’ diary of former CBI chief Ranjit Sinha. The inquiry was initially stalled because of what attorney general Mukul Rohatgi called unreasonable demands from Sharma in terms of financial and manpower requirements.

In the last hearing the bench had requested the AG to persuade Sharma to scale down his demands.

Today the bench found the requirements made by Sharma in his letter reasonable, as both the AG and Prashant Bhushan, counsel for the petitioner, Common Cause, expressed their satisfaction.

The bench made it clear that it would fix the remuneration for the services of the retired officers who would comprise the probe team later, after getting an idea of the quantum of work, so that no inconvenience was caused to anybody.

The AG had assured the bench that all necessary arrangements for the supporting staff, office, space, transport and infrastructural support, would be made available to Sharma and his colleagues in the probe team.

The bench made it clear that Sharma was entitled to access whatever records he feels necessary for the purpose of the inquiry, and summon any person for the same.

The bench expects the inquiry to be completed within eight to 12 weeks.

The next date of hearing of IA No 13 in WP [c] 463/2012 has been fixed on 16 November, 2015 at 2 p.m.

The order passed in the case, which came up at court No.9 at 2 pm, can be accessed here.

Photo by Johann Jaritz.