SC-monitored coal scam probe by CBI faces corruption charges: Report

Anonymous letter alleges senior officers took money to manipulate probes; director takes cognisance of accusations, The Indian Express reports

In a case of alleged corruption in the Supreme Court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the coal scam, an investigation officer (IO) has alleged that senior officers had contaminated some probes, The Indian Express reported on Monday. 

A letter to the agency’s director Anil Sinha, signed by ‘Honest IOs, CBI’, claimed that seniors in the agency were taking bribes from companies to fix cases and were pressuring officers to weaken cases where payoffs were allegedly made.  

The letter is said to have been written by at least one investigating officer who has had ‘first-hand experience’ of what the allegations are, the newspaper reported. 

“Huge amounts have exchanged hands in the name of DCBI (Director, CBI) and a few selective officers are beneficiaries. These officers are intimidating other officers not to speak the truth in court,” the complainant added. 

The director received the letter in early April and is said to have taken cognizance of the complaint. 

The letter has cited 24 specific cases of corrupt practices. In one instance, the complainant alleges reopening of a case even after the closure report was submitted to the SC, alleging this was done because the company’s director had refused to pay a bribe. 

A CBI spokesperson, in a response to the letter, told the newspaper,” “As per directions of the Honourable Supreme Court of India, the CBI is not in a position to share any information relating to inquiry/investigation in Coal cases.”

The letter cites specific cases in which the alleged corruption took place. 

- A case where closure report was submitted to the SC, but later registered as a regular case (RC) based on the same facts after the director of the firm refused to pay bribe

- Even after CBI Director approved of a RC, the matter was later closed with the same facts

- Seven cases were selectively closed by not using Coal India’s experts’ report on net worth   

- Cases not registered against seven firms for misrepresentation on availability of land

- One case was closed despite misrepresentation on account of financial competence, net worth, land and existing capacity

- Threats to investigating officers with departmental proceedings if they recommended prosecution of public servants against the wishes of seniors