A Special Court on Thursday directed the CBI to further investigate into the scam in coal block allocations, involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda and others, in which the agency had filed a closure report.
The court also ordered further probe into the role of JAS Infrastructure and Power and others in the allocation of coal blocks.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar asked the CBI to file a progress report of its probe on December 19.
“Vide my separate detailed order, the matter has been sent for further investigation,” the judge said.
CBI filed the closure report in the case in which it had registered an FIR against JLD Yavatmal Energy, its directors Vijay Darda, his sons and other unknown persons.
The agency had lodged an FIR in the case against six individuals, the firm and unknown persons under sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
In its closure report, the agency had said that nothing substantial emerged to establish cheating and criminal conspiracy among officials of the Ministry of Coal and JLD Yavatmal Energy.
CBI, which had earlier alleged in its FIR that JLD Yavatmal wrongfully concealed previous allocation of four coal blocks to its group companies in 1999-2005, said in its closure report that even if it (CBI) had revealed this, JLD Yavatmal Energy would not have been disqualified.
The report had said that investigation could not establish that JLD Yavatmal Energy has obtained any undue benefit from the Ministry of Coal with regard to its non-declaration of previous coal blocks.
During the hearing on the closure report, the CBI prosecutor had earlier submitted before the court that Vijay Darda had written several letters to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and others for allocation of coal block to JLD Yavatmal Energy.
The CBI’s investigating officer also told the court that the Chhattisgarh government, where the Fatehpur East Coal block was situated, did not recommended allocation of coal blocks to JLD Yavatmal Energy.
CBI also revealed that in the guidelines issued by the Coal Ministry as well as the minutes of the 35th meeting of the Screening Committee, there was no mention of the fact that allocation of earlier coal blocks either to the applicant company or group or associate company would be a disqualification for getting a fresh coal block.
It had said that after considering the guidelines for allocation of coal blocks, the Screening Committee recommended allocation of Fatehpur East Coal block to JLD along with RKM Powergen, Visa Power, Green Infrastructure and Vandana Vidyut.
Role of JAS Infrastructure and Power to be probed
The Special Court also ordered further investigation in the role of JAS Infrastructure and Power and three persons in which the CBI had filed a closure report.
CBI, in its closure report, had lodged an FIR against Nagpur-based businessman Manoj Jayaswal, JAS Infrastructure and Power, and others for alleged irregularities by the firm in acquiring coal blocks. It had lodged an FIR in the case on the allegation that the company had not disclosed to the Coal Ministry that it was already in possession of coal blocks.
However, during the investigation, CBI could not find any “prosecutable evidence” against the firm and others and filed a closure report in the case.
Coal block allocation: chronology of events
A number of coal blocks, which were not in the production plan of Coal India Ltd and the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), were identified and a list of 143 blocks were prepared.
A total of 70 coal mines or blocks were allocated between 1993 and 2005, 53 in 2006, 52 in 2007, 24 in 2008, 16 in 2009 and one in 2010. In all, 216 blocks were allocated between 1993 and 2010, out of which 24 were taken away at different points in time, effectively leaving the total number of allocated blocks at 194.
CAG’s draft report accuses govt of ‘inefficient’ allocation of coal blocks 2004-2009; estimates windfall gains to allottees at Rs 10.7 lakh crore.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offers to give up his public life if found guilty in the scam. May 31, 2012: CVC, based on a complaint of two BJP MPs — Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir — directs a CBI enquiry.
Coal ministry forms an inter-ministerial panel to review the process of allocation of blocks and to decide either on de-allocations or forfeiture of bank guarantees. Since then, the government has taken back about 80 coal fields while bank guarantees in 42 cases have been forfeited.
CAG’s final report, tabled in Parliament, tones down loss to exchequer figure to Rs 1.86 lakh crore.
Govt claims CAG’s presumptive loss theory flawed, no mining yet.
PM says CAG flawed; “The observations of the CAG are clearly disputable”
PIL in SC seeks cancellation of 194 coal block allotments. Supreme Court begins monitoring the CBI probe into the coal field allocations.
The Apex Court asks CBI not to share probe details with govt.
Standing Committee on Coal and Steel, in a report tabled in Parliament, says coal blocks distributed between 1993-2008 done in unauthorized manner. Says allotment of mines where production not started should be cancelled.
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha submits affidavit saying investigation report shared with law minister Ashwani Kumar.
Ashwani Kumar resigns.
CBI registers first information report (FIR) against Naveen Jindal and Dasari Narayana Rao.
CBI files an FIR against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary PC Parakh.
The Supreme Court sets up a special CBI court to try all coal field allocation cases.
The CBI decides to close its case against Birla and Parakh.
Published – November 20, 2014 12:08 pm IST
