Coal scam: CBI hands over fresh list of 'missing' files to Attorney General

NEW DELHI: CBI has handed over to the Attorney General a fresh list with a pruned down number of files related to coal block allocations which are still awaited by it for its probe into the scam.

CBI sources said that the original figure of 225 files had been brought down after a meeting with Coal Ministry officials in which it was found that some of the records sought by the agency were available in a different set of files.

The sources said that after the reconciliation, CBI has handed over a fresh, comprehensive list to Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati containing details of the files which are crucial for the probe and were still awaited.

Holding that the missing documents were "vital" to the probe, Supreme Court had directed Coal Ministry to file an FIR with CBI if it ultimately failed to trace any of the documents sought by the agency.

On August 29, the bench had asked CBI to provide within five days a list of documents, files and information sought by it to the Coal Ministry, which in turn was required to furnish the same in two weeks' time.

Complying with the Supreme Court directives, a meeting between CBI and Coal Ministry officials was held yesterday for a detailed discussion on the files in question.

According to CBI sources, during the meeting it was found that several records sought by the agency were available in different files, to which ministry officials said that the same could be duly provided.

The sources said ministry officials assured CBI that they would make every effort to look for the files sought by the agency.