Coalgate: CBI probe nets two more firms

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday registered cases and booked two private companies in connection with the ongoing investigation in the coal block allocation scandal.

The country’s premier investigating agency registered FIRs against Green Infrastructure Private Limited here and Satna-based Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Limited, their directors and unknown public servants for misrepresentation of facts while applying for coal blocks for mining.

After registering FIRs, CBI sleuths carried out raids at 16 locations in six cities, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Satna, Visakhapatnam and Jaipur. The accused have been slapped with charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating under Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to CBI, Green Infrastructure, which was allotted Fatehpur (East) coal block in Chhattisgarh in 2008, has been booked for inflating its net worth by showing an agreement with Malaysia based company, MMC Berhard Malaysia.

The agency found that Green Infrastructure, whose net worth was Rs 2 lakh, had inflated figures by adding on the net worth of MMC Berhard, which stood at Rs. 4,600 crore, although the latter company had only given an “expression of interest”.