Coal block allocation scam News

Former Congress lawmaker and industrialist Naveen Jindal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday in the ongoing investigation in the coal block allocation scam case.

Expressing displeasure over the slow progress of investigation in the coal block allocation cases, Supreme Court on Monday slammed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to modify its order asking the CBI Director to constitute a SIT to probe charges of "prima facie abuse of authority" by the agency's former Director Ranjit Sinha in the coal block allocation scam.

In a U-turn, ex-Coal Secretary HC Gupta, an accused in several coal scam cases, today withdrew his application seeking to pull out a personal bail bond in a case involving MP-based Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL) and others and face trial from jail.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi if the report on the meetings between former CBI director Ranjit Sinha and some accused in coal block allocation scam be made public.

Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and five others, including two senior public servants, have been summoned as accused by a special court in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks in West Bengal.

A special court on Friday deferred till next week its order on CBI's final probe report in a coal block allocation scam case allegedly involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda and others.

Besides JIPL, its two directors R S Rungta and R C Rungta are facing trial for alleged offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 467 (forgery of a valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 420 (cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC.

While seeking bail, the counsel appearing for Rao told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that the then Prime Minister also held the Coal portfolio at that time.

The court also directed the accused not to leave India without its prior permission and fixed the matter for further hearing on June 1.

Naveen Jindal, Dasari Narayan Rao, Madhu Koda and 12 others were given bail on personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each.

Charges are framed under sections 120B() read with 420 of IPC against all the four accused. Charge under section 420 of IPC is made out against RSPL and accused Udit Rathi.

Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal and 14 others, including former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, were Wednesday summoned as accused by a Special court in the Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation scam case.

A special court on Wednesday fixed July 15 for hearing a coal block allocation scam case in which the Supreme Court had on April 1 stayed the summons issued against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others.

The Coal Ministry has received requests from various coal/lignite bearing states for transfer of additional levy of Rs 6,149.6 crore collected by the Centre from the owners of operational blocks cancelled by the Supreme Court, Parliament was informed Thursday.

The names of successful firms pertaining to six coal blocks that went under the hammer in the second lot are missing from the government's list of winning bidders.

A special court Wednesday observed it was "fully conscious" about the seriousness of the Talabira II coal block allocation allegedly involving a former Prime Minister and a top industrialist but only a prima facie opinion was required to be formed at this stage to summon them as accused.

Coal Minister cannot give a go by to the established procedure and guidelines on the issue of coal block allocation while exercising discretion conferred on him as any contravention of the settled process would be "clearly bad in law", a special court observed Wednesday.

Government is now mulling auctioning coal linkages through the competitive bidding route and has also constituted an inter-ministerial panel to look into various models to implement it, a move aimed at bringing greater transparency in the allotment of linkages.

Moving ahead with the process of auction of mines, the government has invited bidders to come up with dates to visit the coal blocks besides inspecting land documents of the mines.