The CBI will register a preliminary enquiry within a couple of days in connection with the missing files related to alleged irregular coal block allocations between 2006 and 2009.
The decision was taken on Thursday after a crucial meeting of investigators with the Coal Ministry officials. The agency team met Coal Ministry officials where both sides reconciled that 15-18 files related to coal block allocations, which include minutes of screening committee, remained untraceable.
Following the reconciliation by the CBI sleuths and Coal Ministry officials, the agency has decided to initiate a PE and convert it into a regular case after gathering evidence of criminality, sources said.
The Coal Ministry is learnt to have communicated to the CBI that some of the files are not in existence. This includes final minutes of the 26th Screening Committee meeting held on May 1, 2005. The minutes defined the guidelines for allocation of coal blocks to private players and subsequent decisions were taken in reference to this. The file has not been traced from the Coal Ministry, Coal India ltd or its subsidiary Central Mines Planning and Design Institute.
Other documents that have not been traced include a letter from Congress MP Vijay Darda recommending coal block for AMR Iron and Steel, an accused company in the coal block allocation, Scrutiny Report prepared by CIl on financial worthiness of applicant companies, including Green Infrastructure and JlD Yavatmal Energy ltd, an accused company owned by Darda. Interestingly, the file relating to coal block allocation is available with the CBI but Darda’s recommendation letter is missing.
Records relating to Sasan UMPP, Tata Sponge Iron Pvt ltd and Jharkhand Ispat Pvt ltd among other such documents have not been traced by the Ministry, sources said.
Following Supreme Court Directive August 29, the CBI had requisitioned 29 files/documents from the Coal Ministry. These documents are required for the probe of the 13 cases and the ongoing Preliminary Enquiry into alleged irregularities coal block allocation between 2006 and 2009, a period when the Coal Ministry was under the charge of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.