Naveen Jindal
Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal whose special interest is in “bringing honesty into public life and eradicating corruption and red tapism” is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the coal block allotment.
The Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, which is owned by him, got a coal field in February 2009. It has reserves of 1,500 million tonnes. The Opposition alleged that the Government violated all norms to give him coal fields. He, however, has denied any wrongdoing.
Prem Chand Gupta
Rashtriya Janata Dal General Secretary and former Minister for Corporate Affairs P.C. Gupta’s name was dragged into the scam after reports appeared that IST Steel and Power, a firm owned by his sons, got a coal block in Maharashtra. Gupta has denied the allegations. But the Opposition has demanded a thorough probe into the allocations.
S. Jagathrakshakan
Another top politician whose name is figured in the scam is the DMK leader and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting S. Jagathrakshakan. His company JR Power Gen Pvt Ltd reportedly entered into a contract with a Puducherry-based PSU, which was awarded coal blocks. The Government and the DMK have denied the allegations.
Vijay Darda and Rajendar Darda
Congress MP in Rajya Sabha Vijay Darda and his brother and a Minister in Maharashtra Government Rajendar Darda are the promoters of JLD Yavatmal, a company that got coal blocks. An FIR launched by the CBI says that the Dardas misrepresented facts to achieve licence. They were planning to set up a thermal power project in Yavatmal, but the project never took off. The Congress says the law will take its own course while the brothers have claimed innocence.
Ajay Sancheti
BJP’s MP from Maharashtra Ajay Sancheti is a businessman close to the party President Nitin Gadkari. The CAG had found that two coal fields – Bhatgaon 2 and Bhatgaon 2 Extension – were allocated to the state-run Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) in 2007. The bid of Sancheti’s SMS Infrastructure was accepted for a joint venture with the PSU. The CAG said the PSU accepted a lower bid from the company for causing Rs 1,000 crore loss to the exchequer. The BJP has denied any malpractices in the allotment. – Compiled by A.M. Jigeesh