Alleging that CBI is planning to close 'coalgate' scam cases, JD(U) today expressed doubt over the "integrity" of the outgoing UPA government in pursuing the matter and demanded the immediate filing of a charge-sheet against the accused in the probe.
"I doubt the integrity of the government... While leaving office, they will try to shut the cases against (Naveen) Jindal, who has benefited the most from this coal allocation scam," JD(U) president Sharad Yadav told reporters.
"There is a smell coming these days that CBI is planning to submit a closure report in view of the lack of evidence," he further alleged.
Stating that he has been raising for a long time, in Parliament and outside, the issue of illegal coal block allocations to certain private parties, Yadav said that CBI had ultimately registered 17 FIRs last year against companies.
The companies include Jindal Steel, Gagan Sponge, AMR Iron and Steel, JlD Yavatmal Energy, Vini Iron, JAS Infrastructure, Kamal Sponge, Pushp Steel, Hindalco, BlA Industries, Castron Technologies and Nav Bharat Power, he said.
Yadav said that after all this time, CBI could manage to file only one charge-sheet. The FIR has been lodged against former MP Naveen Jindal and former Union minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao upon allegations of fraud and corruption in coal block allocations, he said.
"My charge on the present government is to direct CBI to file the charge-sheets immediately in the case of the remaining private companies, including that of Jindal and Rao, as only one charge-sheet in the case of Nav Bharat Power has been filed so far.
"JD(U) cautions the government that we will not leave this corruption issue if it tries to shut any cases concerning alleged allocation of coal blocks, as is being reported in some sections of the media," he added.
According to the CAG, there was a loss of 1.86 lakh crore to the national exchequer in the allocation of coal blocks.
Yadav also questioned as to why the accused had not been sent to jail. The coal blocks should be taken back and auction should be done in a proper manner, he added.
It was alleged that Jindal Steel and Power and Gagan Sponge misrepresented facts to get coal blocks.
Yadav maintained that it was only after the government came under pressure that FIRs were registered. Before that, it was not ready to accept any illegality in coal block allocations, he charged.
He said that now even the Enforcement Directorate had come into the picture and registered cases against Jindal, Rao, Gagan Sponge Iron and Jindal Steel and Power ltd, among others, on money laundering charges.
"It is further reported that CBI is yet to decide if it wants to convert its FIR in the Jindal cases into a charge- sheet. I do not understand why CBI is lingering on such a clear case of corruption and money laundering. It should have filed the charge-sheet by now, but that is being delayed intentionally," Yadav alleged.
He charged that companies belonging to Naveen Jindal were the largest beneficiaries in the scam.
The JD(U) chief said that there was an alleged investment in Hyderabad-based firm Sowbhagya Media by a group of Delhi- based companies linked to Jindal Group.
"This investment of Rs 2.25 crore is suspected to be a pay -off for alleged favours extended by Rao in allocating coal blocks in Jharkhand while he was a minister," Yadav claimed.