CBI likely to register five new cases in coal scam

New Delhi: The CBI is likely to file at least five cases related to its probe in the coal block allocation scam after suggestions from the Central Vigilance Commission which stopped the agency from closing its investigation into these allocations. On the orders of the Supreme Court, CBI sources said, the agency has sent files to CVC recommending closure of probe in 25 coal block allocations.

The anti-corruption watchdog has rejected the conclusions of CBI and asked it to proceed with investigation in at least five cases, they said. The findings of the CVC have been submitted in the Supreme Court. CVC had submitted its findings on 17 preliminary enquiries (PEs) to the Supreme Court on April 30 and on the remaining eight on May 9, the sources said.

They said closure in 25 allocations, which were part of the PEs registered by CBI, were recommended after senior officials of the agency were not convinced with the evidence collected during the probe. CBI has so far registered 19 FIRs to probe alleged corruption in coal blocks allocation. The court, while hearing coal block cases, had in late March asked the CVC to give its suggestions whether the cases can be closed or CBI can go ahead with the filing of charge sheets.

CBI was accused by an NGO Common Cause that the probe in the scam was not moving fairly and there were instances that without seeking opinion of the Central Vigilance Commission, the agency was filing closure reports in regular cases. The bench had also taken note that there are cases in which senior officials of the CBI have overruled investigating officers after the preliminary enquiry on the issue of filing the regular cases and charge sheets.