Coal scam: CBI registers two new cases against private companies

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today registered two fresh cases against Kolkata and Nagpur-based companies in connection with its probe related to the allocation of coal blocks.

Soon after registering the cases, the agency started search operation spread across seven locations in Nagpur, Chanderpur (Maharashtra), Kolkata, Asansole, Purulia (West Bengal) and Ghaziabad.

In the new set of cases, the CBI accused Nagpur-based Grace Industries for allegedly misrepresenting their net-worth to the tune of Rs 120 crore whereas the actual was Rs 3.3 crore, CBI sources said.

Even if net worth of all the group companies are taken together it is not worth more than Rs 11.48 crore whereas the company showed it to be Rs 120 crore at the screening committee in 2006 to bag the Lohara East coal block in Maharashtra which was allotted to it in 2008, they said.

The company, which wanted the coal block for its sponge iron plant, also inflated its capacity from actual 60,000 tonnes per annum to 1.20 lakh tonnes per annum, they said.

Within one year of getting the coal blocks, the company was allegedly sold to Samvijaya group in which the directors made profit of nearly Rs 20 crore, they said.

The agency has slapped allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating and sections of prevention of corruption act against the company and it’s then directors Mukesh Gupta and Seema Gupta, they said.

In another case the agency has booked Vikash Metal and Power Limited for allegedly misrepresenting allocation of land for its power project in Begusarai in Bihar, they said.

In 2008, the Kolkata-based company in its presentation before screening committee had claimed that Bihar Area Development Authority has allocated 300 acres of land to it but allocation was already cancelled a year ago.

The company was allocated Moira Madhujore (North and South) coal block in the year 2009.

The agency has booked the company Vikash Metal and Power its directors -- Vimal Patni, Vikash Patni, Anand Patni, Virender Kumar Jain, Kailash Chander Jain and Vijay Kumar Jain besides Anand Mallick who is authorised signatory for the company along with other unknown others.

The CBI has booked them under criminal conspiracy to cheating.

Earlier, the CBI had registered five cases this month in this connection. The cases were registered against AMR Iron & Steel Private Ltd, JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd, Navbharat Power Private Limited, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd and JAS Infrastructure Capital Private Ltd.