Looking back, it appears that the first signs of the problem were visible when the policy on captive coal mining was formulated almost two decades ago.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday questioned Arvind Jayaswal, director AMR Iron and Steel Private Limited, in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of Bander coal block in Maharashtra to the company.
Under pressure to quit his post after the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a first information report against him in the coal block allotment scam, Maharashtra minister Rajendra Darda on Wednesday said he no longer has any relation with the company booked by the investigative agency.
The court summoned them as accused for August 3.
Law Minister Ashwani Kumar's fate hung in balance as the Supreme Court takes on record on Tuesday CBI Director's affidavit and the agency's status report on the coal blocks allocation scam that was shared with the minister and senior officials of PMO and Coal ministry.
The court said accused cannot leave India without getting its permission.
Contrary to the CAG report, the true scam is not exclusive to the UPA, or one for which it bears the prime culpability. Rather, it's a collective or collusive scandal, with both the UPA-ruled Centre and the non-UPA states reaching a nice 'match fixing'-style arrangement to snatch away coal mines from public sector companies and allot coal-mining leases to shady business interests, says Praful Bidwai.
"The party high command has advised Rajendra Darda to quit," a senior party leader said hours after the minister clarified in Nashik that he no longer has any relation with the company booked by the investigative agency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of favouring infiltrators over the native population, asserting that the upcoming assembly election in West Bengal is a battle to save the state's identity.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a progress report of its further investigation in the coal blocks allocation scam case allegedly involving former Coal Secretary P C Parakh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others, in a sealed cover before a special court.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, ex-Jharkhand chief secretary Ashok Kumar Basu and six others have been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a coal block allocation scam case.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP of orchestrating raids on premises linked to I-PAC executives to disrupt their election campaign in West Bengal, alleging vendetta politics and interference in the electoral process.
The Bharatiya Janata Party charged the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government on Friday of shielding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his alleged role in the coal allocation scam by forcing former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar to quit his post.
'Birla only made representations to then PM for coal blocks allocation.'
Rejecting the plea, the court said the application was "vexatious" and it was apparently moved to delay the trial.
Acting in the coal block allocation scam, the Central Bureau of India on Tuesday filed cases against five companies for alleged criminal conspiracy and misrepresentation of facts, naming Congress MP Vijay Darda and his brother Rajendra Darda, a Maharashtra Minister, in one of the FIRs.
The court posted the matter for September 26 after the CBI informed that it was likely to file a supplementary final report in the case by September 22.
Setting off a political bombshell, Central Bureau of Investigation Director Ranjit Sinha on Friday submitted before the Supreme Court that the agency's status report on coal allocation scam was "shared" with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar "as desired by him" and that senior officials of PMO and Coal ministry had also seen it.
Renowned names from India Inc and politics are chargesheeted by the CBI before a special court in a coal blocks allocation scam case.
Demanding a probe into fresh reports in the allocation of 142 coal blocks by United Progressive Alliance government, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said it is "truly amazing" that relatives and associates of union ministers have made such gains soon after the latter occupied the high offices.
Special court was that Manmohan Singh took the "ultimate decision" as the then coal minister in allocation of the blocks.
Main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday once again targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha on missing files pertaining to coal mines allocation saying the scam is "monumental" and demanded that he clarify on it.
Former coal secretary and four others, including two serving government officials, were on Friday granted bail by a special court in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Tuesday directed by a special court to record statements of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was holding charge as Coal Minister in 2005, and others in a coal blocks allocation scam case allegedly involving top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla.
The Central Bureau of Investigation could question Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of coal block to Hindalco as he had written a letter to the Coal Ministry after application of the Aditya Birla company was rejected in 2005.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI investigation into the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior police officials and others for allegedly obstructing its raids in Kolkata against political consultancy firm I-PAC and its director in connection with an alleged coal scam.
While the BJP is baying for the resignation of Law Minister Ashwini Kumar, the Congress is worried that the issue could create serious trouble for the government, reports Renu Mittal
A non-government organisation on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking a special investigation team probe into alleged "blatant" interference by the Centre into the Central Bureau of Investigation probe of the coal block allocation scam.
Taking note of the draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on allotment of coal blocks without auction, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the allotment of coal blocks and monitoring of the probe by a court.
A businessman-journalist and Rajya Sabha member from the ruling Congress party, Vijay Darda has recently shot into national limelight, but, for all the wrong reasons -- he has become embroiled in the coal-gate scam that has currently swept the nation.
The apex court said the present CBI director would head the special investigation team which would look into the report of the apex court-appointed panel headed by M L Sharma, a former special director of the agency, that had prima facie indicted Sinha in the matter.
Besides the jail term, the special court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda and Rs one lakh on Gupta.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has sought filing of first information report against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the alleged coal block allocations, prompting the government to conduct an exercise to ascertain how he could be safeguarded from any legal wrangling.
BJP leader Nitin Nabin accuses the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government of altering West Bengal's demography by favouring infiltrators and neglecting the rights of the state's residents, promising to rectify the situation if the BJP comes to power.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to question Congress Member of Parliament Naveen Jindal this week in connection with its First Information Report against him and his company for alleged cheating while applying for coal block.
The agency filed the report before Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar and said that it contains a detailed report of investigation being carried out in the case.
The court said that it would now consider the CBI's final report
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to register more than one first information reports in the alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks after it came across several cases of violation of norms by state government officials and allottees.
Uproar over coal block allocation issue paralysed proceedings of Parliament for the 12th consecutive day today, drowning most of the Monsoon Session which ends on Friday. As soon as Parliament met for the day, Bharatiya Janata Party members were on their feet in both Houses and raised slogans demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over the coal block allocation issue.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, ex-Coal Secretary H C Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary Ashok Kumar Basu and six others were on Tuesday ordered to be put on trial by a special court on charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating in connection with a coal block allocation scam case.
