Amidst the ongoing controversy over the “missing files” related to the Coalgate scam, the CBI on Tuesday handed over to the Attorney General a fresh list of documents which it said are crucial to take the probe forward.
Sources said that the original figure of 225 files had been brought down after a meeting with coal ministry officials in which it was found that some of the records sought by the agency were available in a different set of files. Officials of the coal ministry on Saturday held an elaborate meeting with the CBI sleuths to discuss issues related to the documents sought by the agency. “The missing files are definitely hampering our investigations into at least 11 FIRs as several records sought by the CBI about beneficiary companies, have not been provided by the ministry so far,” sources said.
“The agency has handed over a comprehensive list to Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati containing details of the files which are crucial for the probe. Documents which have been sought include copies of 157 private companies which had applied for 45 blocks between 1993 to 2005”, sources said. The agency suspects that around 157 private companies were allegedly eliminated irregularly to favour the ineligible beneficiary companies in the allocation of captive coal blocks, they said.
Sources further said, “The agency has also sought documents related to the recommendation made for allocation of Bander coal block in Maharashtra to a Nagpur-based private company from the Coal ministry”. Probe has revealed that the recommendation for the allocation of this block was reportedly forwarded by the PMO, they added. These documents have not been provided to the CBI so far, they added. Besides, the agency has also sought minutes of the meetings of 26th, 34th, 35th and 36th Screening Committees. The coal ministry has already handed over 769 files and other documents consisting of more than 1, 50,000 pages to CBI, sources said.