Coal news and updates

After a wait of over three months, the CBI is finally set to question industrialist and Congress MP Naveen Jindal in connection with the coal blocks allocation scam, agency sources said. A top CBI officer said, "A decision was made a few days ago during a meeting that Naveen Jindal will be called soon. We may question him anytime, probably this weekend." 

 

The agency had booked Jindal, former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao and unknown screening committee members for alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Limited. 

 

According to sources, CBI is likely to ask Jindal about his role as MP in getting coal block for his company. 

 

CBI has already examined some Jharkhand government officials, screening committee members, former coal secretary H C Gupta and other officials of coal and power ministries in this case. 

 

In its FIR, CBI has named JSPL and Gagan Sponge Iron Ltd (also belonging to Jindal). It was alleged that the companies had bagged Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand in 2008 by alleged misrepresentation of facts when Rao was minister of state for coal. The agency claimed in the FIR that Rao was bribed to favour the company and Rao, in turn, had pressurized the screening committee. 

 

Jharkhand government had earlier recommended that Amarkonda Murgadangal block be given to three companies — JSPL, Gagan Sponge and another private company. However, there was a sudden change in the opinion of the Jharkhand government and it said the block should be given only to JSPL and Gagan Sponge, withdrawing its recommendation for the third company, sources said. 

 

After registration of the case, head of external affairs at JSPL, Manu Kapoor, had said, "JSPL, as a law abiding company, is governed by a strong ethical code of conduct. This is an ongoing CBI investigation into coal block allocation. At this stage of investigation, JSPL is committed to fully cooperate with CBI."

 

Source: ToI