Coal scam: CBI completes probe in Hindalco case

CBI today filed its final probe report in a coal block allocation case allegedly involving former Coal Secretary P C Parakh, Hindalco and others before the special court which will consider it on March 11.

Senior public prosecutor V K Sharma told the court that the agency has completed the investigation and one more witness has been examined during the course of probe and they are filing his statement in a sealed cover.

"Further investigation is complete. We have further examined one more witness. We are filing his statement in a sealed cover. Our final investigation is over now," Sharma told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar.

The court said that it would now consider the CBI's final report in the case on March 11 and if required it will seek clarifications from the agency.

"Final compliance report has been filed by Investigating Officer along with statement of one more witness in a sealed cover.... The matter be now put up for consideration on March 11," the judge said.

During the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that they are also filing all the materials and documents related to the case in the court.

The case pertains to allocation of Talabira II coal block in Orissa to M/s Hindalco in 2005.

The CBI, in its FIR, had named Parakh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, M/s Hindalco Industries ltd and other unknown persons for the offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

However, later, the agency had filed a closure report in the court which had refused to accept it.

The court, in its December 16 order, had directed the agency to examine Manmohan Singh and some top PMO officials, including Singh's then Principal Secretary T K A Nair and then private secretary B V R Subramanyam.

Parakh and Hindalco have denied any wrongdoing.