Coalscam: CBI files progress report against firm, others

New Delhi, Dec 19: CBI today filed a progress report of its probe in a coal scam case involving a private firm and three persons in which it had earlier sought closure of the case differing from special public prosecutor (SPP) who had favoured prosecution of the accused.

"Progress report has been filed...Put up the matter for further hearing on January 29," Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said. During the hearing, CBI told the court that compilation of all the documents, which were to be submitted along with the progress report, was being done and it will be filed soon.

CBI had earlier filed a closure report in the matter in which it had lodged an

against Nagpur-based businessman Manoj Jayaswal, Abhishek Jayaswal, Anand Jayaswal and JAS Infrastructure and Power Ltd, now known as JAS Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd, for alleged irregularities by the firm in acquiring coal blocks.

On October 27, SPP R S Cheema had differed with CBI's conclusion seeking closure of the case, saying the court should proceed against the accused.

He had said there was evidence against the accused and if the court feels, it can take cognisance on closure report in which the agency said that "no prosecutable evidence" was found against the company and others, arrayed as accused in its FIR.

The SPP, however, had clarified that no tangible evidence could be found against officials of the Coal Ministry. The court had earlier pulled up CBI observing that probe conducted by it was "incomplete" and nothing was clear in its closure report.

It was irked over the agency adopting different yardsticks in different cases and not following a uniform policy in its probe after which CBI had filed a revised final report.

On November 20, the court had passed an order in the case and had directed CBI to further investigate the matter saying that conduct of former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and two other government officials prima facie falls under the ambit of criminal misconduct.

PTI