Coalgate: AG apologises in SC for losing cool

Attorney General G E Vahanvati apologises before the Supreme Court for losing his cool during arguments in the coal blocks allocation scam case yesterday.

Attorney General G E Vahanvati today apologised before the Supreme Court for losing his cool during arguments in the coal blocks allocation scam case yesterday.

The AG said that it was not meant to show any disrespect to the bench.

"I am sorry for whatever happened yesterday," he told a bench headed by Justice R M Lodha.

Responding to Vahanvati's remark, Justice Lodha, in a lighter vein, said, "I thought it was because of weather and heat" and asked the Attorney General to proceed with his arguments.

Pushed to the corner by a volley of questions raised by the apex court for not placing all records, Vahanvati, who is known for his gentle demeanour, had yesterday got agitated, saying, "I cannot carry everything in my head".

The Centre was on Tuesday pulled up by the court which said its stand on coal block allocation has been "contradictory" to its earlier position, prompting a flustered AG to state that it is "very difficult" and "tremendous strain" to respond to all queries.

"Its very difficult. It is a tremendous strain. I cannot carry everything in my head. Once I argue on one aspect, another question arises on another aspect. How would I go ahead," he had said.

The apex court had asked the AG for details of 218 coal block allocations by the government and told him to explain block wise allotment of the natural resource.

The AG, who found it difficult to respond to the queries to the court's satisfaction, had appeared annoyed and sought time to place all documents.