Have lodged seven more cases in coal block allocation scam, ED tells SC

Enforcement Directorate (ED) has told the Supreme Court that it has lodged seven more cases in the coal block allocation scam and was in process of filing prosecution complaints against two firms, including M/s Jindal Steel and Power Ltd.

In its tenth status report filed in the apex court for the period from January last year to September 30 this year, ED has said it had earlier received 55 FIRs from the CBI and registered enforcement case information report (ECIR) in all of them.

"Subsequent to the ninth status report, the Directorate of Enforcement has received seven more FIRs from the CBI and it has registered ECIR in respect of these seven cases," the agency told a bench headed by Justice M B Lokur.

The agency told the bench, which also comprised Justices Kurian Joseph and A K Sikri, that provisional attachment orders have been issued in 11 cases.

"There has been a slight increase in the number of provisional attachment orders from the earlier status report. It is further stated that the investigations etc. are in progress in respect of these cases," the court noted in its order.

"Prosecution complaint has been filed in two cases (M/s AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd and M/s Nav Bharat Power Pvt Ltd). Filing of prosecution complaints are in process in respect of M/s Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and Grace Industries Ltd," the order said.

ED has also told the top court that investigation was going on with regard to M/s Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd.

The apex court has asked ED to file the next status report before December 4.

The court has asked the CBI and ED to expedite their probe in the coal scam cases.

The apex court had on January 23 constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the allegations of "abuse of authority" prima facie committed by former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha to scuttle investigation and enquiries in the coal block allocation cases.

It had observed that a prima facie case has "definitely" be made out for a probe into the abuse of authority by Sinha.

It had later directed that no CBI officer, who is probing coal scam cases or officials from SIT probing allegations of "abuse of authority" against the former CBI director, would be transferred without its prior permission.