Coalscam: CBI files final probe report in KSSPL case

CBI today filed its final report before a special court on its further probe in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the allocation of a Madhya Pradesh coal block to Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL).
The agency filed the report before Special Judge Bharat Parashar saying that their ongoing probe was complete, though the competent authority was yet to grant sanction to prosecute two public servants, summoned as accused in the case.
Senior public prosecutor V K Sharma submitted that the documents were initially sent to the competent authority on December 17, 2014 and over five months have since passed.

He said in accordance with the Supreme Court's directions and guidelines, if within three months (4 months in case of consultation with Attorney General) no decision is arrived at by the sanctioning authority regarding grant or refusal of sanction to prosecute the public servants, then the court shall presume the grant of sanction under PC Act.
The court fixed the matter for consideration on June 2.
The agency had on May 13 told the court that it was awaiting "administrative approval" as well as the decision of competent authority for grant of sanction to prosecute the two public servants.

CBI had approached the concerned authorities for considering granting sanction to prosecute two government servants - then Joint Secretary of Coal Ministry K S Kropha and then Director (Coal Allocation-I section) K C Samaria - for alleged offences punishable under Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

The case pertains to alleged misrepresentation of facts, including inflated net worth, by Madhya Pradesh-based company Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL) to acquire Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block in that state.
The court had earlier summoned former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, Kropha, Samaria, KSSPL's Managing Director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia, chartered accountant Amit Goyal and the company as accused in the case after refusing to accept CBI's closure report in the matter.