CBI files new case in coal scam, carries out searches

New Delhi: After a lull of nearly five months, CBI on Monday swung into action in the coal block allocation scam registering a fresh case of misrepresentation of facts against a Jharkhand-based company and carried out searches. CBI sources said the agency has levelled allegations of criminal conspiracy and cheating against Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Limited, its Chairman R S Rungta, Managing Director R C Rungta and other directors of the company.

The company did not respond to emails seeking its comments. The sources said JIPL had allegedly made two false claims in the application form for Pakri Barwadi West and Gondal Para coal blocks--the company misrepresented the land with it and the number of operation steel plants. CBI alleged in its FIR that the company in its application form submitted in January 2006 had claimed that it had three operational steel plants whereas the actual number was only one. It is also allegedly claimed that it has 80 acres of land whereas the actual land was just 30 acres which did not even had a clear title. CBI sources said after filing the FIR, the agency carried out searches at 11 locations in Ghaziabad and Delhi in NCR, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Ranchi in Jharkhand, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata in West Bengal. The searched destinations included offices of the company in Ramgarh, residential and official premises of its directors and other locations, they said. The sources said the company was finally allotted North Dhadu coal block on January 13, 2006 for its plant. CBI has so far registered 10 FIRs, including this one, in connection with the coal scam. The last FIR was registered in October 2012. PTI