SC reprimands Centre over missing Coalgate files

 

NEW DELHI, Aug 29:  The Supreme Court today severely reprimanded the Centre for not lodging an FIR against  missing files in Coalgate scam case.

A bench comprising Justices R M Lodha, Madan B Lokur  and Kurian Joseph granted two week time to the Centre to  provide all necessary files to CBI after tracing the  missing files.

The apex court made it clear that government can not  sit over the files needed by CBI.

The top court was not happy with the conduct of CBI also.

The government assured the court that all out efforts were being made to trace the missing files.

Around 167 files pertaining to Coalgate were missing.

The files include 157 applications submitted by the  companies which were allotted coal blocks between 2006-2009,  when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also holding the  charge of coal ministry.

The apex court is hearing a batch of PIL and is  monitoring the CBI investigation in the Coalgate.

As per CAG report, the nation suffered a colossal  loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore due to alleged bungling in the allocation of coal blocks.

(UNI)