Darda wanted plant out of Maharashtra

Congress MP Vijay Darda, who is under the scanner for his alleged role in coal block allocation scam, wanted to shift the power plant from Maharashtra after his firm got the coal block.

The CBI has registered five FIRs against private companies and is investigating Darda's JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd. The agency suspects that Darda was trying to sell the mine in 2009 at a hefty price.

Dardas were allocated Fatehpur East at Chhattisgarh in January 2008 for their power plant which was to be completed by October 2013. CBI sources said that during one of the review meetings of coal blocks undertaken by the screening committee, JLD informed that it wanted to change the site of the power plant. The chairman of the committee raised objection as the coal blocks were allocated to JLD for development of a power plant in a joint venture. The CBI, which is soon going to question Darda, suspect that JLD was under pressure from Abhijeet group's Manoj Jayaswal to shift the site.

As per the details of the screening committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Special Secretary (Coal), the panel remarked: "The block was issued on the basis of application made by the allottee. State government also recommended that location. Now it is not understood why the allottee (JLD) is proposing to change the site from one state to another..." The Maharashtra government also expressed reservation on the decision of JLD to shift the location of the power plant, said officials.

Officials said the Coal Ministry received applications from 53 companies for allocation of Fatehpur East coal block in 2007. The 35th screening committee recommended allocation of Fatehpur East block at Chhattisgarh jointly to JLD Yavatmal, RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd, Visa Power Ltd, Green Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Vandana Vidyut Ltd for their proposed power plants in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, respectively.

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