The CBI on Tuesday questioned officials of the coal ministry in connection with its probe into the missing files related to the coalgate scam.
Sources said only those officials were examined who were custodians of the missing files related to the captive coal block allocations. “The agency sleuths are questioning coal ministry officials who are working with administrative sections. The CBI is also examining movements of the missing files, sought by the agency from the coal ministry,” sources said.
“It were the Coal Projects Appraisal (CPA) and Coal Projects Appraisal and Monitoring (CPAM) sections that were the custodians of the files during 1993 to 2002,” sources said.
The agency is also ascertaining if files went missing at the behest of some interested persons as part of a conspiracy, they added. The missing files are allegedly hampering CBI’s coal scam probe, in which it has filed 13 cases so far.
Sources, however, refused to reveal the identity of the officials questioned as they have not been considered as accused and the agency is yet to register any formal case which could only be done if some malafide is found during preliminary enquiry (PE). The agency on September 20, registered two PEs to look into the issue of missing files related to the Coalgate scam. Sources said during the reconciliation it became clear that 15-18 crucial files related to coal block allocations done in different batches are not traceable and it is affecting the agency’s probe.
The CBI officials are also planning to seek clarification from the steel ministry officials in connection with the missing files related to the allocation of North Dhadu coal block to the Jharkhand Ispat Private Ltd.
The agency is also preparing to register two more cases against the senior officials of the state-run PSUs of Jharkhand and Chattishgarh governments as part of its probe into the Coalgate scam.