Coal scam: CBI files probe report, says sanction issue pending

New Delhi: CBI on Monday filed before a special court a report on its further probe in a coal scam case allegedly involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, and said the grant of sanction to try a public servant, who has since retired, was pending before the Union Coal Ministry.

The agency told the court that they had sought information from the Coal Ministry regarding the status of request sent for accord of sanction to prosecute L S Janoti, who has since retired as an under secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. It said Director (Vigilance) of Coal Ministry has informed the agency that the issue was pending before his ministry.

The agency told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that as Janoti has retired and the competent authority has not refused to grant sanction to prosecute him, there was no bar in taking cognisance against Janoti for his alleged role in the case.

The court after perusing the CBI report, fixed the matter for consideration on July 16. CBI had earlier told the court that they have approached Coal Ministry, where Janoti was posted earlier, to ascertain the status of its request for sanction to prosecute him.

The court, in its January 30 order, had observed that former Minister of State for Coal Santosh Bagrodia, ex-Coal Secretary H C Gupta and Janoti had allegedly committed criminal misconduct and facilitated AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd to unlawfully obtain a coal block. It had asked CBI to further probe the case in which the agency has chargesheeted Vijay Darda, his son Devendra Darda, AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd's Director Manoj Jayaswal and the firm, as accused.

In its order, the court had observed that Bagrodia, Gupta and Janoti had allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with private parties in the allocation of Bander coal block in Maharashtra to AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd.