The CBI, probing the “Coalgate” scam, is yet to receive some important files which had been sought by the agency from the coal ministry immediately after registering preliminary enquiry (PE) into the matter.
The CBI on June 1 registered a PE to probe alleged irregularities in allotment of coal blocks to both private players and public sector enterprises between 2006 and 2009.
Sources in the agency said, “Request of the CBI to handover certain important files related to coal blocks are still pending with the coal ministry. The agency has sought detailed information about 1,400 private firms that had applied for the allocation of 64 coal blocks from the ministry. The CBI is still waiting for files related to the private firms”.
Sources further said, “Delay in handing over some important files by the ministry, has not hampered agency’s probe at all. The ministry has already provided certain documents to the agency. We hope that the remaining (important) files and documents will be handed over to the agency by the end of this week. The agency sleuths have been given assurance by the ministry officials in this regard”. The CBI has also started collecting relevant documents, related to the allocation of coal blocks, from power ministry as well as department of Industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), sources said.
“Initial probe by the agency has revealed that maximum number of coal blocks were allocated between 2005 and 2009. While in 2005 around 24 coal blocks were allocated by the ministry, in 2006 total 53 blocks were given.”