CBI files charge sheet in coal block allocation case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday filed its first charge sheet in the coal block allocation scam case against the Navabharat Power Pvt. Ltd. and its two directors here.

The CBI named the Hyderabad-based private company and its two directors, P. Trivikrama Prasad and Y. Harish Chandra Prasad, as accused in the case.

They were formally charged in court under various sections dealing with cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The charge sheet was filed before Special CBI Judge Madhu Jain, who posted the matter for March 27 as the next date of hearing.

According to sources, the CBI has not filed its complete documents related to the charge sheet. The documents will be filed later, the sources added.

The CBI has not booked the accused under corruption related charges in the charge sheet. However, in the FIR lodged Sep 3, 2012, the investigating agency booked them under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI said in order to "embellish its claim for allocation of coal block", the Navabharat Power Pvt. Ltd. "fraudulently" claimed that it was having the required net worth to get the coal mines.

Subsequently, Rampia and Dip-side Rampia coal blocks were jointly allocated to six companies including the Navabharat Power Pvt. Ltd.

The agency added that inquiry also revealed that officials of the coal ministry in pursuance of criminal conspiracy, wilfully and purposefully, did not scrutinise the aforesaid documents regarding the false claims/concealment of facts by the company.

Further probe is being made into the role of public servants, if any, in the case.