Coal scam: CBI files closure report, clean chit to govt servants

New Delhi: CBI on Tuesday filed a revised closure report regarding the role of public servants in a coal blocks allocation scam case in which Navbharat Power Pvt Ltd and others were earlier chargesheeted as accused.

CBI, in its revised supplementary report, told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that during the probe, it has not found any offence committed by the public servants.

"A revised supplementary final report has been placed which again is in the form of closure report stating that no offence was found to have been committed by any of the public servants," the court said in its order.

CBI had earlier filed charge sheet against Navbharat Power Pvt Ltd (NPPL), its Managing Director and Vice-Chairman Harish Chandra Prasad and Chairman P Trivikrama Prasad in the case.

The chargesheet was filed against NPPL and its officials for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) of IPC for allegedly misrepresenting facts, including inflated net worth, to acquire coal blocks.

During the hearing, the court heard part arguments of Special Public Prosecutor R S Cheema, appearing for CBI, on the closure report and fixed the matter for further arguments on October 14.

Cheema told the judge that he has instructed the investigating officer (IO) to file all the relevant records of the case in the court.

The IO assured the court he would file those documents, including the documents collected during search and statement of witnesses recorded under the provisions of the CrPC, within three-four days.

The IO was directed by the court to submit a list of public servants who all dealt with the coal block allocation applications and their subsequent verification.

The court asked the IO to give the present status of those public servants as to whether they have since retired.

During the arguments on the aspect of net worth of Navbharat Power Pvt Ltd, Cheema said on the instructions of Screening Committee and Ministry of Coal, two experts from Coal India Ltd (CIL) were called and they were asked to give their reports.

The experts sat over the matter and the reports given by them were missing and a preliminary enquiry has been initiated on this issue, he contended.

CBI had earlier alleged that the net worth of the firm applying for coal blocks was an important factor to determine its financial strength and NPPL had fraudulently claimed in its application form that it was supported by Globeleq Singapore Pvt Ltd, Navbharat Ventures Ltd and Mahalaxmi Group Ltd.

NPPL and its officials were named as accused by the agency for allegedly conspiring and cheating by misrepresenting facts to "embellish" its applications to get allotments between 2006 and 2009.

The FIR in the case was lodged after a preliminary enquiry was initiated by CBI on a reference by CVC.
Earlier, the Special Public Prosecutor had told the court that he had informed CBI authorities to prepare comprehensive report giving all the details related to the case.

He had also said that he had informed CBI to examine and analyse the alleged role of private parties and public servants in the case in an objective and prudent manner.