New Delhi: The Congress on Monday demanded that the Centre appoint a special counsel to oppose in court the Adani Group's plea for denying information in a coal import controversy, saying the decision the Narendra Modi government takes would show where it stood on corruption.

Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said the finance ministry has been sitting on a request from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to appoint a special counsel for Wednesday's hearing in Bombay High Court on the Adani Group's plea.

"As per my information, no decision had been taken till 2pm today (Monday). Big lawyers will represent the Adani Group and hence the DRI had sent a request for a special counsel instead of a local small lawyer," he said.

"The government talks of saaf neeyat (noble intentions). The neeyat will be shown tomorrow if the government does not stand up in the court to say the Adani Group's plea (should) be rejected. The finance ministry should appoint a senior lawyer and fight the case seriously. So far, we have seen the Modi government stall any investigation into any case related to the Adani Group."

Ramesh had two weeks ago accused the government of stalling the probe into the coal import scam to protect Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "favourite industrialist" Gautam Adani and had demanded that a special investigation team (SIT) be set up to unearth the truth.

Earlier this year, on March 9, a petitioner had moved a public interest plea for constituting an SIT. The DRI had responded to the PIL through an affidavit in Delhi High Court, saying there was no need for an SIT as 40 companies, including the Adani Group, were under scrutiny for alleged over-invoicing to the tune of Rs 29,000 crore in coal imports.

The DRI had asked for related documents that are with the Singapore branch of the State Bank of India. The Adani Group had then moved the high court in Singapore - the imports had been through a Singapore-based company - pleading that the papers be not handed over to India.

Singapore High Court's initial order was the papers could not be given but it eventually rejected the Adani Group's petition last month.

The Adani Group had then moved Bombay High Court pleading that all letters rogatory the DRI had issued be quashed.

Ramesh, on Monday, wondered how an Indian businessman could plead for denial of information to the government on a matter related to a major controversy.

"Finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia had written to the then State Bank of India chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya on May 20, 2016, to hand over the documents related to coal imports to the DRI. Surprisingly, the SBI chairperson replied to the Centre that the documents cannot be given because of Singapore High Court's (initial) order. The Centre should now ensure that Bombay High Court does not give a stay and the papers are available to the DRI."