No more files to hand over: Coal Min to CBI

On Tuesday, the CBI top sources had said that the new files, which the ministry had sent, had, in fact, been arranged already and that ‘agency’s purpose remains unsolved.’

The CBI, in a letter, which was written to the attorney general on 3 September, had asked about the status of Reliance Power’s 4,000 MW Sasan ultra mega power project (UMPP). 

The letter had raised the following stated points, ‘Present status of Sasan UMPP; when it was commissioned; when the coal extraction from all the three captive coal blocks had started;[and]  how much incremental coal has been used so far in the Chitrangi Power project from the captive coal blocks allocated to Sasan UMPP.’ 

The CBI also asked, ‘Whether any such claims of Reliance Power Ltd were processed,’ and if so, demanded, ‘concerned files be provided.’

The ministry handed over the files and documents to the CBI on Monday after a two-week deadline, set by the Supreme Court, ended.

Attorney general GE Vahanvati sent to the ministry on 2 September the list of documents and files that were to be submitted to the CBI.

The Search Committee, headed by an additional secretary (coal) and secretary (coal) SK Srivastava, had undertaken a hectic search for the files that extended to the steel and power ministries, the PMO and the department of industrial policy and promotion. Regarding Radhikapur East coal block of Tata Sponge Iron Ltd, the CBI had sought applications, annexures and processing files to which coal ministry had replied, ‘Relevant records and files available with coal ministry have already been provided. However, CMPIL and Ministry of Steel are being requested to search and provide copy of the same.’ 

Similarly, the application form submitted for allotment of Pakri Barwadih (West) or Gundal Para coal block to Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd has also been sought by the CBI.