Agency to seek SC nod to take such coal blocks out of probe purview
The CBI is likely to inform the Supreme Court on Monday that it has not found any criminality in the allocations of about 60 coal blocks and seek the apex court’s nod to take such blocks out of the purview of the ongoing investigation.
The agency has analysed the records in detail and concluded that there was no criminality involved in the allocation of these coal blocks, a final decision whether to take them out of the ongoing probe would be taken after directives of the Supreme Court, the sources said.
The CBI is probing allocation of 195 coal blocks and the agency has registered 16 cases involving cheating, criminal misconduct and corruption in allocation of about two dozen coal blocks.
The analysis of allocation of nearly 60 blocks has brought out that laid down procedures and norms were followed. During the inquiry, the agency analysed reports from the State Governments, related ministries of the Union Government, minutes of the Screening Committee and forms and documents submitted by the beneficiary companies, the sources said.
Some of the executives of these companies were also called in by the agency and they were able to explain all the questions raised by the investigating team, the sources added.
The CBI has registered 16 FIRs against AMR Iron and Steel, JlD Yavatmal Energy, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog, JAS Infrastructure Capital Pvt ltd, Vikash Metals, Grace Industries, Gagan Sponge, Jindal Steel and Power, Rathi Steel and Power ltd, Jharkhand Ispat, Green Infrastructure, Kamal Sponge, Pushp Steel, Hindalco, BlA Industries, Castron Technologies and Castron Mining.
Most of these FIRs relate to the allocations between 2006-09 period when the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh headed the Coal Ministry. Two cases have recently been registered for allocation of three mines to two companies during the 1993-2005 period and one case against Hindalco has been registered under the Government dispensation category.
The agency is also likely to state before the apex court that almost all the relevant files related to coal block allocation scams have been received by it and the two Preliminary Enquiries into the issue might be closed as criminality has not been found so far in the issue of untraceable files.
The agency has concluded probe in nearly six FIRs and a final report could soon be filed before the competent court after concurrence from the apex court.