Coal scam: CBI awaits nod on sanction to try two officials

NEW DELHI: CBI today informed a special court that it was awaiting the response of competent authority on grant of sanction to try two public servants for their alleged role in a coal blocks allocation case involving Nagpur-based Grace Industries Ltd (GIL) and others.

The agency told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that in pursuance to the court's earlier order, they have sent the relevant records of the case to the Maharashtra government and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in February for according sanction to prosecute the two government servants.

CBI, which today filed the progress report of its further probe in the case, said it was awaiting the response of the authorities on the issue.

The court had earlier directed CBI to place records of the case before the competent authority so that they could consider according sanction to prosecute K S Kropha, former Joint Secretary in Coal Ministry, and Vishwas Sawakhande, Director of Directorate of Geology and Mining in Maharashtra Government, for offences under Prevention of Corruption Act.

"Progress report of further investigation has been filed. It has been submitted that the necessary record have been sent to government of Maharashtra and Department of Personnel and Training, New Delhi, for considering according sanction to prosecute the public servants....," the court said.

It has now fixed the matter for filing of progress report of further investigation on May 20.

The court had earlier directed CBI to conduct further probe the alleged role and collusion between the public servants and company officials in the case in which the agency has filed a chargesheet against GIL and one of its directors Mukesh Gupta for alleged offence of cheating under the IPC.

While directing further probe in the matter, the court had observed that functioning of the then Prime Minister Office (PMO) officials "does not appear to be above board".