The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) headed by Additional Secretary (Coal) Zohra Chatterjee has not been able to complete the review of all the coal blocks under scrutiny, as files pertaining to many of the companies are with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is currently investigating the scam.
In its September 12 meeting, the IMG noted that the Ministry of Coal had informed that the files of the allottees who have made presentation before the IMG are yet to be returned by the CBI and therefore it was unable to complete its probe. Sources in the Ministry said the files were still being scrutinised by the CBI and could be returned by September-end or early next month.
“The CBI is likely to lodge a fresh round of FIRs very soon,’’ they said.
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The CBI has already registered five FIRs in connection with Coalgate, including those against Congress MP Vijay Darda and his younger brother Rajendra Dadra for being the alleged beneficiaries of illegal allocation of coal blocks.
The FIR has also named the Abhijeet Group as a big beneficiary of fraudulent allocations and has cast aspersions on the role of some officials in the Coal, Power and Steel Ministries.
The IMG noted in the meeting that the recommendations for de-allocation and deduction of bank guarantee of various firms is without prejudice. Other actions, which may be warranted on account of change of name and change of share holding of the allocate company, are beyond its scope, the IMG said.
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Sources in the government said the IMG’s probe has already indicated that some of the allocations, carried out during NDA’s and UPA-I’s terms, were done in an arbitrary and casual manner without going into the financial standing or the merits of the company or individuals.