The CBI has concluded investigation into six cases related to coal block allocations and is expected to complete its probe against all 169 companies by April 30 this year.
On Monday, the agency told the Supreme Court, which is monitoring the probe, that chargesheets with respect to six regular cases will be filed within three weeks. The agency is likely to name AMR Group and company owned by Congress MP Vijay Darda in its final report, sources said.
After the agency failed to comply with the earlier deadline set by court for January this year the court was anxious to know what led to the delay in investigation. Senior advocate Amarendra Saran who appeared for CBI pointed out that in one case, response to letters rogatory was awaited. Besides the six cases where chargesheet is ready to be filed, the agency was in the process of registering 13 regular cases pursuant to enquiry made against 87 companies.
Out of 169 companies under probe, Saran submitted that field inquiry against 149 had completed. However, in relation to one preliminary enquiry (PE-5) involving the role of 75 State and Central PSUs in coal allocation, the agency claimed that several states had refused to accord sanction to prosecute its officers. Under Section 6 of Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, CBI requires prior sanction of State/Centre to prosecute senior public servants.
As the Court was monitoring the case, the bench directed agency not to await sanction. “So far as Section 6 is concerned, there is no bar, restriction or impediment on the plenary powers of this court,” said a bench comprising Justices RM lodha, Madan B lokur and Kurian Joseph. Nine states had refused sanction while nine had committed to cooperate with CBI. Regardless of this fact, the bench held, “Since this court is monitoring investigation, formal consent of concerned states who have not given consent is dispensed with.”
The bench also issued notice to Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to consider its scope of supervision over CBI in matters of investigation. Petitioner CPIl’s counsel Prashant Bhushan had demanded for an SIT as he alleged that some higher ups in CBI trying to tweak probe reports submitted to Court. The matter will be heard next on March 10.