Coal news and updates

Ahead of hearing in the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation has closed investigations into five-six more coal block allocations for want of sufficient evidence of irregularities. 

 

The agency has so far closed probe in 40 allocations. It is likely to file a status report on coal scam probe in the apex court on July 7. 

 

Closure of more allocations by the agency may raise eyebrows since the CVC is already re-examining its previous closures. Sources said that the CVC may recommend re-investigation in a few allocations closed by CBI. The agency had also closed four FIRs in the coal scam. 

 

The status report would also have a mention the controversial Hindalco FIR in which industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P C Parakh have been named. The details of interrogation of Parakh and others would be mentioned in the report but CBI will not conclude the case as of now, said sources. Birla is yet to be examined in the case. 

 

The agency top brass blames "unavailability of sufficient evidence" for delay in probe into the Birla-Parakh FIR. 

 

The documents relating to all the 195 allocations have been thoroughly examined and formal cases registered where ever legal action could have been taken, said agency officers. 

 

The companies booked by the agency so far include 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 and others. 

 

The CBI has also closed the two enquiries related to missing coalgate files after it received the relevant documents. It did not find any evidence to suggest criminality or intentional act on part of any coal ministry official to withhold files from the investigating agency.

 

 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/