CBI files final report in coal scam case against Naveen Jindal

The CBI on Friday filed the final report in further probe directed by special court in the coal scam case against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and others.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar, however, took strong objection to the IO not filing the report in a proper format and asked him to do so by January 23.

The report filed before the court contains CFSL reports, list of witnesses and their statements recorded by the CBI.

The court had earlier pulled up the CBI for delay in filing the report, saying it was affecting the progress of trial.

The court had allowed CBI's plea that it needed to probe the case further in light of certain disclosures made by a chartered accountant Suresh Singhal, who had sought the court's nod to turn approver.

It had also allowed Singhal's plea for pardon and ordered deletion of his name from the list of the accused.

CBI had alleged that ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, also accused in the case, had favoured Jindal group firms -- Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL) -- in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand.

Opposing CBI's contention, all the accused had said there was no evidence to show that they were in any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process. They had also denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI in its charge sheet.