CBI, ministry lock horns over missing files of coal scandal

The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) sources said that ‘they are not satisfied’ with the coal ministry response on missing coal scam related files.

‘How can we say we are satisfied. The replies which we have received wouldn't complete the list of documents we sought,' top brass CBI official told Millennium-Post, adding that, 'There are so many files missing and we are still looking for them.'

The government has been facing flak over missing coal scam files issue with the opposition blocking the functioning of Parliament. Following the uproar in Parliament Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on 22 August had said that the ministry has handed over all ‘substantial’ files to the central probe agency. CBI had sought as many as 225 files pertaining to the coal block allocations. ‘Of these, nearly 157 pertain to 1993-2005 in which 45 coal blocks were allocated. Other files relate to 2006-09 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had held charge of the portfolio. The files also deal with communication between various ministries and states,’ the CBI sources had said.

The CBI has registered three preliminary enquiries in connection with the scam. These are related to allocations between 2006 and 2009, from 1993 to 2004 and those done through joint ventures. It has also registered 13 FIRs related to allocations between 2006 and 2009. The agency has been directed by the apex court to file a fresh status report by 29 August.

The CBI suspects there is a deliberate attempt to hamper probe into the Coalgate scam and is also mulling to probe the missing files under the destruction of evidence charge if the coal ministry agrees to file a complaint.

‘First we didn’t get any reply from coal ministry and now the response is inadequate. It may have been done deliberately and is hampering and delaying our investigations,’ the top brass CBI official added.

Meanwhile, CBI officials said that they will be submitting a status report before the Supreme Court on Tuesday apprising it about the missing files and documents and their relevance in the agency’s probe into the coal blocks allocation scam.