Coalscam: CBI asked to probe role of Coal Ministry officials

CBI was today directed by a special court to further probe a coal scam case on various aspects, including the role of Ministry of Coal officers and members of 36th Screening Committee in allocating coal block to a West Bengal-based company.
The court also asked the probe agency to investigate what were the factors considered by the Coal Ministry officials and members of Screening Committee before recommending allotment of coal block to Vikash Metal and Power Ltd (VMPL).
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, in his order refusing to accept the agency's closure report in the case, said that besides other aspects, the agency should investigate on six specific points.

The six aspects to be probed include the "role of Ministry of Coal officers and that of the Screening Committee members in allocating the Coal Block and what were the factors considered by them before recommending allotment of coal block."
The agency's report should also mention the names of various public servants, including that of Ministry of Coal officers, who dealt with the applications (of companies) during the course of the entire process of allocation of the coal block, the court said.
"What was the role of different directors of the company M/s VMPL and that of various other accused persons against whom the present case was registered," it said.

CBI had filed the closure report in the case in which it had in September 2012 registered an FIR against VMPL and its officials, accusing them of making false claims related to land allocation to get undue advantage in the coal block allocation.
VMPL was allocated Moira and Madhujore (North and South) coal block in West Bengal's Raniganj area.