'CBI might probe all allocations'

The coal ministry is examining the possibility of extending the Central Bureau of Investigation’s probe into the 39 blocks allocated during 1999-2004 when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led led NDA coalition was in power, said V Narayanasamy, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office.

"There have been demands from various quarters and the coal ministry is examining the possibility of extending the CBI enquiry into all allocations made during the NDA regime,” he told newspersons here. He alleged all 39 coal block allocations during the NDA regime were without following any procedure and were done in a non-transparent manner. Terming the BJP demand for the Prime Minister's resignation 'unethical' and 'unreasonable', he said, “The BJP central leaders have forgotten the letters written by chief ministers of states where their party is in power.”

The CMs of all BJP-ruled stated had recommended allocations of coal blocks for companies and had opposed the auctioning system, when the Centre wished to introduce this, by effecting an amendment to the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957.”

He also took swipe at the Odisha chief minister's recommendation for a coal block in favour of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) in June 2002.

"JSPL is a reputed company and I have no doubt about it. But what was the intention of the Odisha chief minister in getting a coal block allocated to some other company deallocated and recommending the same in favour of JSPL? There must be some objective and special interest of the state chief minister behind it,” he said.

Asked if the CBI would investigate the role of the Odisha CM, Swamy replied, “It is for the CBI to take a call on the matter.”

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has, however, refuted the allegations of the Union minister.

"As I have said before, coal is a subject on which the Central government has complete authority. It is not as if the Centre does allocations only on our recommendations. In a number of cases private companies who do not benefit the state have been given coal blocks in Odisha without our recommendation”, Patnaik said.