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CBI registers 13th FIR in coal scam
Delhi company booked for giving false data
Syed Ali Ahmed/TNS

New Delhi, June 19
The CBI today registered a fresh case in coal blocks allocation scam against the Chief Executive Officer of a Delhi-based private steel and power company and its directors and others for allegedly giving false data about its land holdings and capacity in allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh, sources said.

The sources said that the CBI booked Rathi Steel and Power Company Limited located at Mathura Road in Delhi, its CEO Udit Rathi, director Pradeep Rathi and other directors and two persons of 36-member screening committee on alleged charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act for misrepresenting facts for getting coal blocks allocation.

The CBI conducted raids at nine places including residential and official places of the accused following registration of the case. The raids were conducted at Sadhna Enclave in South Delhi, residence of Udit Rathi, others places like Gagan Vihar in East Delhi, South of GT Road in Ghaziabad, Old Arya Nagar in Ghaziabad and Sambalpur in Orissa.

The sources said the company had applied for coal blocks allocation in 2007 and it was allocated in 2008. The company in its application had claimed that it was in possession of 250 acres of land whereas it had only 150 acres of land, the sources said.

Sources said three companies had applied for coal blocks allocation but Rathi Steel and Power Limited was allegedly favoured by some persons. The two other companies that had applied for the coal blocks were reportedly more deserving and competent.

The CBI also alleged that the company had proposed to have 0.75 million tonnes per annum capacity for their steel plant, for which block was sought, whereas when it was allocated the capacity remained unutilised, the sources said. The company was allocated Kesla North coal block in Korba, Chhattisgarh, on August 5, 2008.

This is the 13th FIR in connection with the coal blocks allocation scam probe.