Coal Scam: Supplementary report to be filed in case involving Darda

The CBI on Monday informed a special court that the supplementary final report in a coal blocks allocation scam case allegedly involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda and others was ready and would be filed before it soon.

The agency told the judge that the final report could not be forwarded to the court by CBI's concerned Superintendent of Police as he was on leave.

The court, after hearing CBI's submissions, fixed the matter for December 18.

"It has been submitted that the supplementary final report is ready but the same could not be forwarded by the concerned SP as he was on leave. A couple of days time has been sought in this regard. Accordingly, matter be put up on December 18, 2014," Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said.

During the hearing, the court also allowed the plea of Vijay Darda seeking permission to travel abroad from December 27 till January 2 next year for business purposes after senior public prosecutor A P Singh said CBI has no objection if the plea was allowed.

"Keeping in view the overall facts and circumstances of the case coupled with submissions made, accused number 2 Vijay Darda is granted permission to travel abroad...," it said.

CBI has chargesheeted Vijay Darda, his son Devendra Darda, Manoj Jayaswal, Director of Nagpur-based AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd, and the firm as accused in the case for the offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) of IPC and under Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court had earlier granted bail to Vijay Darda, Devendra and Jayaswal after they appeared before it in pursuance to the summons issued against them.

Vijay Darda, Devendra, Jayaswal and the firm were named as accused in the charge sheet filed by CBI on March 27 in which it had alleged that they had fraudulently acquired the coal blocks. Darda has denied the allegations against him.

Regarding AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd, CBI had claimed in its FIR that the firm, in its application form for allocation of coal blocks, had "fraudulently" concealed the fact that its group firms had previously been allocated five coal blocks.

CBI had said that the 36th Screening Committee, which was headed by the Coal Secretary, after concluding its deliberations on July 3, 2008, recommended allocation of Bander coal block jointly to J K Cement Ltd, M/s Century Textiles and Industries Ltd and AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd for their proposed plants in Karnataka and Maharashtra respectively.