The CBI registered a case in connection with allotment of Talabira-I coal block to the Hindalco, a unit of Aditya Birla Group.
The Central investigation team also conducted searches at the company’s four places, one in Mumbai and three in Sambalpur.
A company official said the CBI has been investigating coal block allocations made since 1993 under monitoring by the Supreme Court. It has already filed closure report with regard to allocation of 15-per cent of shares to Hindalco in Talabira II & III coal mines.
“In continuation with their investigation into 185 coalmines across industry, the CBI has now begun its investigation into Talabira I, a mine allocated in 1994 to the erstwhile Indal, which was later acquired by Hindalco,” the official said.
Notably, the Supreme Court has cancelled allocation of 204 coalmines. These would be auctioned as per announcement recently made by the Union Ministry of Coal.