Coal scam: ED files laundering case against ex-MoS Rao, Jindal

The ED, till now, has registered similar cases under the PMLA against all those who have been booked by the CBI in the Coal blocks allocation case.

During the course of the same investigation, the ED will also look into the issue of any foreign exchange “contravention” by all these firms which have now been asked by the agency to furnish relevant documents, the sources said.

The other firms against whom the cases have been registered include Castron Technologies Ltd, Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited, Pushp Steel and Mining Pvt Ltd, RSPL, Grace Industries, Jharkhand Ispat, Green Infrastructure, Hindalco, BLA Industries and Nav Bharat Power Private Limited.

The agency, according to sources, has taken cognisance of the over 17 FIRs filed by CBI in this case and it will investigate if these firms laundered illegal money and generated “proceeds of crime” in the entire process of coal allocation.

The probe by both the agencies in this case is being monitored by the Supreme Court.

CBI registered the FIRs in this case after it conducted three preliminary enquiries related to coal block allocations between 2006 and 2009, 1993 and 2004 and projects given under a government scheme.

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), an estimated loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crores was caused to the national exchequer in the coal block allocation scam.