CBI names Cong MP Vijay Darda in coal FIRs

The Central Bureau of Investigation Tuesday filed its first set of cases in the coal blocks allotment scandal, accusing Congress MP Vijay Darda and his brother Rajendra Darda, who is a minister in Maharashtra, among others, of criminal conspiracy, cheating and misrepresentation of facts.

The FIRs registered by the agency named five companies which were allotted six coal blocks, and 25 people who are either promoters, directors or shareholders in these firms. Investigators also conducted searches at 30 locations in 11 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna, Hyderabad, Dhanbad and Nagpur, soon after the FIRs were registered.

The CBI has also booked unnamed public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act, accusing them of not exercising due diligence while allotting the coal blocks. The cases were filed after a three-month investigation following the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) registered on the directions of the Central Vigilance Commission in June.

Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd, one of the five firms named in the FIR, is believed to be linked to former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda. Another firm, Nav Bharat Power Pvt Ltd, is suspected to have links with the family of a BJP politician, CBI officers said.

The CBI FIR against JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd — the company of the Dardas which is named after their father and Congress leader Jawahar Lal Darda — alleges that the company misrepresented facts and furnished false information in connection with coal blocks allotted in Fatehpur East in Chhattisgarh in January 2008.

Vijay Darda and another shareholder in his company, mining baron Manoj Jayaswal, are also linked to two other companies that are named in the FIRs: JAS Infrastructure Capital Ltd and AMR Iron and Steels Pvt Ltd.

It is alleged that Darda owned 7 per cent of AMR along with Manoj Jayasawal, Arvind Kumar Jayaswal and Ramesh Jayaswal, who have also been named in the FIR against AMR Iron.

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