The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed fresh FIRs against two private companies and an erstwhile committee of the government entrusted with recommending allocation of captive coal blocks between 1993 to 2009.
With these two fresh cases, the CBI till now has lodged 22 FIRs and five Preliminary Enquiries (PEs) in coal block allocation cases. It is learnt that the investigating agency had earlier decided to close cases against these companies but on orders from the Supreme Court, the agency submitted all papers to the Central Vigilance Commission, which, was told by the apex court to verify the reports and opine whether proper decision had been taken.
The CBI registered FIRs on irregularity in allocation of Lalgarh (North) block to Ranchi-based Domco Smokeless and Fatehpur East mine to Chhattisgarh-based Vandana Vidyuth on charges of conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct.
In its case against Domco, the agency alleged that the company had entered into a conspiracy with ?unknown others? and submitted false information with dishonest intention to the concerned authorities while applying for a captive coal block and secured allocation of Lalgarh (North) coal block.
?The then director of the said company allegedly gained pecuniary benefit of approximately Rs 7 crore by selling shares of the firm on premium, after the mine was allocated to it,? the CBI said. The agency conducted searches at three places in Delhi and Ranchi.
In its PE registered against Domco earlier, the CBI is understood to have named its the then directors/promoters ? Krishna Murari Poddar, Padam Prakash Gupta, Binay Prakash, Kailash Ajit Sarla and Arun Kumar and the case has been registered under Section 420 of the IPC.
Another case was registered against Chhattisgarh-based company ? Vandana Vidyut Limited ? for alleged misrepresentation of facts in seeking allocation of Fatehpur East mine in Chhattisgarh.
