CBI may book 24 firms for cheating

The CBI has found that many of the firms allotted coal blocks were ineligible and used forged documents and inflated turnovers of their firms to corner the blocks. Several of them have not even set up their plants or obtained mandatory clearance certificates.

In some cases,these small companies have sold off their shares to bigger companies for huge profits. Field inquiries in Chhattishgarh,Jharkhand,Orissa and West Bengal revealed that in many cases the state government,which was represented in the screening committee,recommended the allocations to the private companies.

During their examination by CBI,the BJP leaders gave a fresh list of issues which they felt should be examined. In its letter to CVC and CBI,Ahir asked the CBI to inquire how many firms have not started the mining operations within the time limit given to them and whether the bank guarantees of such companies were revoked. Ahir also alleged in his letter that 158 coal blocks have not started mining operations and they should be cancelled. He alleged the coal blocks after 2008 were allotted without approval of screening committee as the committee has not met since 2008.

As part of its probe,the agency also examined two former coal secretaries who handled the allotment of coal blocks between 2006 and 2009. They are H C Gupta,who was coal secretary from 2006 to 2008 and P C Parakh who held the post in 2009. The agency said they were questioned to understand the issues involved in the allocation of the coal blocks. The coal secretary chairs the screening committee.

The CAG report on coal allocation scam is also being examined. “We are scrutinizing it and yet to arrive at a figure of loss caused,” said a CBI official.