The CBI is all set to register two more cases against senior officials of the state-run Public Sector Units (PSUs) of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh governments as part of its probe into the Coalgate scam.
The Jharkhand government has already given the requisite clearance for a CBI probe against their officials whose roles are required to be investigated in the cases.
Sources said the decision to register cases against the state government officials has been taken following the recent directions of the Supreme Court.
During the August 29 hearing, the CBI had informed the top court that the coal scam probe could touch as many as 20 states where it wanted to question several officials of the PSUs.
“The agency is now preparing to register cases against senior officials of two Jharkhand government-run PSUs.
The agency is waiting for the notification of the DoPT to initiate probe against PSUs run by other states,” sources said. At least 70 captive coal blocks were allocated to Central and state PSUs between 1993 and 2009. The CBI sleuths have scrutinised documents of at least 25 coal blocks allocated to the state government-run PSUs. Investigations have revealed that irregularities were allegedly committed in the allocations of three captive coal blocks of North Dhadu in Jharkhand and Madanpur-South in Chattisgarh, sources said. The agency sleuths are also investigating the role certain officials of the coal ministry and steel ministry in this regard, they added.
The CBI in September, 2012 had registered its third preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe the alleged irregularities in the allocation of captive coal blocks to Central and state government PSUs during 1993 to 2009. The agency has so far registered at least 13 FIRs related to the Coalgate scam.
The allocation of coal blocks to private companies for captive use started in 1993 when Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, was amended with the objective of attracting private investments in specified end uses such as power, cement and steel to meet the requirements of the growing economy.