Times of India reported that in an intriguing move, the Central Bureau of Investigation has expanded the purview of its probe into Coalgate to cover the allocation of coal blocks even to joint ventures of state governments with private companies.

A fresh preliminary enquiry registered by the agency, its third in connection with Coalgate investigations, extends the probe beyond private players to cover "government dispensations" -- a category that, sources explained, include PSUs, both central and those belonging to states, and their joint ventures which got coal blocks.

The move raised eyebrows because CBI's jurisdiction does not extend to states and their decisions, like the one to have business collaboration between their PSUs and private players. The premier investigating agency can probe matters concerning states only at their instance or at the direction of courts.

The PE against "government dispensations" which got coal blocks will cover the joint ventures of state governments of non-Congress ruled states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.

Source - Times of India

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