Delhi court orders CBI probe into why Adani Enterprises was allowed to bid for Jharia coal block

A Delhi court recently directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to further investigate and find out why Adani Enterprises was allowed to bid for the Jharia coal block in Jharkhand in 2012 despite adverse observations against it by a technical committee [CBI v Ram Gopal & Ors]..In an order passed on Wednesday, Special CBI Judge Arun Bhardwaj also ordered the CBI to investigate two other companies named AMR India and Lanco Infratech.“Let further investigation in terms of this order be carried out and report be filed on 05.04.2023. Needless to say, the further investigation shall not be circumscribed by anything recorded in this order and further investigation may be conducted on other aspects as deemed necessary by the Investigating Officer considering the letter and spirit of this order,” the judge ordered..While all three companies had placed their bids for the coal block, it was awarded to Lanco Infratech..In an earlier order passed on December 16, 2022, the Court had directed the CBI to explain why these companies were allowed to bid despite adverse observation of the Technical Evaluation Committee in several reports.The Technical Evaluation Committee had insisted that Adani Enterprises Ltd was not eligible in the absence of copies of submissions made to the statutory government authorities in support of coal production. After considering the CBI’s reply, the Court said that “further investigation is required with regard to Quarterly Reports of Coal Production Activity submitted to Department of Mining & Energy of Republic of Indonesia and Department of Environment of Republic of Indonesia by PT Lamindo Inter Multikon for financial year 2010-11, a stepdown subsidiary (through its subsidiaries) of Adani Enterprises Ltd.”The Court added that there are certain aspects with regard to AMR and Lanco as well which require further investigation..The case will now be heard on April 5. .[Read Order]