New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is all set to investigate sale of shares in companies which got coal licenses. Sources tell NDTV that money was made by shareholders selling stake after licenses were allotted. This was prompted by the fact that the value of companies with coal licenses showed an increase.
The CBI will also investigate links between shareholders in these companies and the members of the screening committee that allotted the coal blocks.
Sources say at least 12 companies are under the scanner and the agency plans to file six FIRs soon.
Sources say in order to qualify, some companies lied about their finances, while others did not reveal that they had already been assigned coal blocks. The CBI believes that these problematic allotments could not have been made without the collusion of government servants; some bureaucrats will also be charged.
NDTV has learnt that the questioning bureaucrats, including officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is not ruled out.
The BJP has not allowed Parliament to function for eight days now demanding that the Prime Minister Singh own moral responsibility for allowing what is alleged to be a huge swindle on his watch as coal minister.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report tabled in Parliament earlier this month, did not indict the Prime Minister, but said his government had missed opportunities to introduce an auction for coal blocks. The government has disputed the report and auditor's estimate of losses - which are pegged at Rs. 1.86 lakh crore.
From:NDTV
