Coal scam: CBI says not received sanction to try two officials

CBI today told a special court that it has not received any communication from the competent authority regarding sanction to prosecute two public servants for their alleged role in a coal blocks allocation case involving Nagpur-based Grace Industries Ltd (GIL) and others.
The agency told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that in pursuance to its January 19 order, they have sent relevant records of the case to Maharashtra government and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in February for according of sanction to prosecute these government servants.
The court then asked the CBI to file progress report of further investigation in the case and fixed the matter for further hearing on July 8.

"It has been submitted that no communication has yet been received from the competent authority regarding sanction sought to prosecute the two public servants in terms of order dated January 19, 2015 passed by this Court. Accordingly, matter be now put up on July 8, for submission of progress report of further investigation," the court said.
It had earlier directed CBI to place records of the case before the competent authority so that they could consider according sanction to prosecute K S Kropha, former Joint Secretary in Coal Ministry, and Vishwas Sawakhande, Director of Directorate of Geology and Mining in Maharashtra Government, for offences under Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court had directed CBI to conduct further probe in the alleged role and collusion between the public servants and company officials in the case in which the agency has filed a charge sheet against GIL and one of its directors Mukesh Gupta for alleged offence of cheating under the IPC.
While directing further probe in the matter, the court had observed that functioning of the then Prime Minister Office (PMO) officials "does not appear to be above board".