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The CBI on Wednesday argued that if the Supreme Court entertained Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy's plea for probe into then finance minister P Chidambaram's alleged role in the 2G spectrum pricing row, it would seriously undermine the premier investigating agency's autonomy.

Appearing for CBI, advocate K K Venugopal contended before a bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly that CBI functioned autonomously under the supervision of the CVC, which too was precluded by law from interfering in the course of investigation.

"Even CVC is barred from directing the CBI in the manner in which investigations are to be carried out. The SC will help the CBI keep its autonomy by not directing the agency to investigate a particular person," he said.

Venugopal also said that the entire investigations into the 2G spectrum scam had been monitored closely by the apex court to keep the CBI on the right track. "But, now applications are moved to request the SC to direct the CBI to conduct investigations in a particular manner and against a particular person to arraign him as an accused," he said.

Swamy alleged that Chidambaram and A Raja had jointly decided the price of spectrum and hence the CBI should investigate whether the then finance minister had a "meeting of mind" with Raja on this issue, which contributed to the loss caused to the exchequer because of allotment of mobile licences at a cheap rate.

Venugopal said SC's role has come to an end as far as the conspiracy angle in the 2G was concerned since the trial has commenced. He said the trial court was competent to order further probe, summon a person as a witness or an accused.

The bench reminded the CBI that its probe into the 2G scam gathered pace only after petitions by the Centre for PILs and Swamy were filed in the SC. "After that the CBI has done an expeditious investigation. But, the petitioners are not satisfied. But, the SC has not said anything," it said. The bench said it insulated the CBI from interference from any quarter and gave it strength to proceed against anyone who was involved in the scam at a time when the common perception was that the scam would not be investigated.