New Delhi:
In new cases filed today in the coal scam, Congress MP Naveen Jindal and former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao have been named as accused by the CBI. Mr Jindal has been charged with criminal misconduct, conspiracy and cheating.
The FIR or case against Mr Jindal says his company Jindal Steel and Power misrepresented crucial information to land valuable coal fields from the government. Sources in the CBI allege that Mr Jindal's firm provided kickbacks to Mr Rao in exchange for coal licenses.
Mr Jindal's home and offices were raided this morning by the CBI.
The developments are embarrassing for Mr Jindal's party, which has been scalded heavily by "Coal-Gate."
The CBI has said that coal licenses between 2004 and 2009 were assigned by a committee that did not conduct adequate background checks on firms and made allocations without transparency.
For some of the years under scrutiny, the Prime Minister held direct charge of the Coal Ministry, which has led to the opposition demanding his resignation.
Mr Jindal has in the past denied allegations of wrong doing. The FIR against his company lists cheating and conspiracy as charges.
In March last year, a report by the government's auditor criticised the allocation of 155 coalfields to about 100 private and some state-run firm.The Indian subsidiary of ArcelorMittal and steel makers Tata and Jindal Steel and Power, are among the companies named in the report.
In May, the CBI's investigation had serious repercussions for the government. Ashwani Kumar was forced to quit as Law Minister after allegations that he had tried to alter the contents of a report that the CBI had prepared for the Supreme Court with an update on its inquiry.