No information on sanction plea in coal block case, CBI tells court

The CBI on Tuesday told a court here that it has not received any information from the competent authority regarding grant of sanction to prosecute a coal ministry official for his alleged role in a coal block allocation case allegedly involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda.

Central Bureau of Investigation's senior public prosecutor told special judge Bharat Parashar that that no information has yet been received from the competent authority regarding according of sanction to prosecute the public servants involved in the case.

The court fixed the matter for Feb 22 for further hearing.

The probe agency said it has sent the relevant records to the competent authority for considering grant of sanction to prosecute the public servant in pursuance to the court's order.

The court on Jan 30 said that former minister of state for coal Santosh Bagrodia, ex-coal secretary H.C. Gupta and ministry section officer L.S. Janoti prima facie committed criminal misconduct and facilitated AMR Iron and Steel in obtaining of Bander Coal Block unlawfully.

The court has ordered further probe and and said prior sanction of the competent authority was required to prosecute public servant for the offence punishable under the graft charges.

Vijay Darda, Devendra Darda, Jayaswal and the firm are charged with criminal conspiracy, and cheating under the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

All three are out on bail.