CBI files fresh status report in Supreme Court on Coalgate

New Delhi, Oct 22:

today filed fresh status report in a sealed envelop in the Supreme

on

block allocation scam giving details of the ongoing probe in which companies, business tycoons and bureaucrats have come under its scanner.

After the last hearing a fresh FIR has been filed by CBI against Birla

The report is expected to inform the apex court about 14th FIR which was filed recently against against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, his company Hindalco and former coal secretary P C Parakh.

The agency, which had on the last date of hearing on August 29 faced the ire of the apex court for tardy probe, is also supposed to inform in its status report the progress made in the rest of the cases.

The slow CBI probe into the coal scam had come under sharp criticism of the Court which had said the agency was still in the "first gear" and needed to pick up speed. The apex court had directed CBI to conclude the probe against all companies, which were allocated coal blocks, by December this year.

"You (CBI) have to pick up some speed. The pace of inquiry is not good. You are still driving in the first gear. Your's is a huge task and all these need to reach the logical conclusion," a bench headed by Justice R M Lodha had said.

After the last hearing a fresh FIR has been filed by the agency against Birla, Parakh and Hindalco alleging that the then coal secretary had overturned his decision while allotting the block to Birla's company.

PTI