Coal gate: 2 new cases, raids in seven cities

Vikash Metals and Powers Limited and Grace Industries has been allegedly accused of misrepresentation of their net worth and joint ventures to illegally get coal blocks, CBI sources said.u00a0The CBI also conducted raids at the offices and residences of the accused persons in seven cities Nagpur, Chanderpur (Maharashtra), Kolkata, Asansole, Purulia (West Bengal) and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh).

Pic for representational purpose only

The managing directors of these companies and some unknown government officials have been charged with cheating, and criminal conspiracy as well under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the sources added.u00a0One of the cases was against the Kolkata-based Vikash Metal & Power Ltd, and its directors Vimal Patni, Vikash Patni, Anand Patni, Virender Kumar Jain, Kailash Chander Jain, Vijay Kumar Jain and Anand Malick.

Nagpur-based Grace Industries Ltd and its directors Mukesh Gupta and Seema Gupta along with unknown public servants and other unknown persons were booked in the second case.u00a0"Promoters of one company are alleged to have sold their stakes after allocation of coal blocks," said CBI sources.

CBI had earlier registered five cases and conducted searches at 30 locations on September 4. A preliminary enquiry to examine the irregularities, if any, in the allocation of coal blocks by ministry of coal during the period 2006-2009 was registered on a reference from Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), in June this year.