BackCBI registers two fresh cases in coal scam
The agency files FIRs against Green Infrastructure and Kamal Steel, conducts searches at 16 locations
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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered new cases of alleged financial irregularities against two companies that were allotted coal blocks between 2006-2007.
The agency, which has already registered seven cases, filed the first information report (FIR) against Green Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd and Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd.
“These cases are part of a preliminary enquiry registered by the agency for the period of 2006-2009. Charges against Green Infrastructure and Kamal include misrepresentation of financial assets and net worth to wrongfully seek coal blocks," said an agency spokesperson.
The CBI said it is conducting searches at 16 places, including Jaipur, Satna, Delhi, Rourkela, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
“The CBI people came to our Jaipur office and left with some papers," said Anil Sharma, general manager, Kamal Sponge Steel and Power. “Except that, I have no comment," he said. Green Infrastructure (now M/s Athena Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd) couldn’t be reached for comment.
The CBI is separately probing coal blocks allocations made during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on the directions of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The allocations between 2006-2009 were made during the first Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Singh was also the coal minister during the corresponding period. He is facing pressure from the opposition parties to resign after the Comptroller and Auditor General of India highlighted irregularities in allocations of coal blocks and pegged a loss of ₹ 1.86 trillion to the national exchequer.
The BJP has described it as “mother of all scams" and had disrupted Parliament’s monsoon session seeking cancellation of the allocation of all coal mines as well as the Prime Minister’s resignation.
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