Coal news and updates

Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda had written letters to the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and others for allocation of coal blocks to firm JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd in which he allegedly was one of the directors, CBI today told a special court. 

 

CBI told this to the court which was hearing arguments on the closure report in a coal scam case in which the agency had earlier registered an FIR against JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd, its directors Vijay Darda, his son Devendra Darda, Rajendra Darda, Manoj Jayaswal, Anand Jayaswal and Abhishek Jayaswal and other unknown persons. 

 

"Vijay Darda, being an MP, wrote various letters to various departments, including the PMO, for allocation of coal blocks to JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd. He himself was a party (being one of its director)," the agency told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar. 

 

The investigating officer (IO) of the case also placed the letters written by Vijay Darda before the judge, who perused it. 

 

During the day's proceeding, CBI filed its revised report before the court and placed on record additional documents related to the case. 

 

The court, after hearing the arguments, fixed the matter for further proceedings on November 5. 

 

"Revised report has been filed. Part arguments heard. Put up for consideration on November 5," the judge said. 

CBI had lodged an FIR in the case against six individuals, the firm and unknown persons under sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. 

 

The agency, however, had later on filed a closure report in the case saying that no undue benefit was given to M/s JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd by the Coal Ministry in allocation of coal blocks to it. 

 

Earlier, special public prosecutor R S Cheema had informed the court that he has asked CBI to review its revised report in the coal blocks allocation cases before it is placed before the court. 

 

In its closure report, the agency has said that nothing substantial has emerged to establish cheating and criminal conspiracy among officials of the Ministry of Coal and JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd's directors. 

 

CBI, which had earlier alleged in its FIR that JLD Yavatmal wrongfully concealed previous allocation of four coal blocks to its group companies in 1999-2005, has said in its closure report that even if it had revealed this, it would not have been disqualified for getting the coal blocks. 

 

The report had said that investigation could not establish that JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd has obtained any undue benefit from the Ministry of Coal with regard to its non-declaration of previous coal blocks. 

 

It said investigation has revealed that in the guidelines issued by the Coal Ministry as well as the minutes of the 35th meeting of the Screening Committee, there was no mention of the fact that allocation of earlier coal blocks either to the applicant company or group or associate company would be a disqualification for getting a fresh coal block. 

 

It added that after considering the guidelines for allocation of coal blocks, the Screening Committee recommended allocation of Fatehpur East Coal Block at Chhattisgarh to JLD along with RKM Powergen, Visa Power Ltd, Green Infrastructure and Vandana Vidyut.

 

 

Source: PTI