A special court today ordered further investigation in a coal blocks allocation scam case, involving Vikash Metals and Power Ltd and its officials, in which the CBI had filed a closure report.

The court also directed the CBI to file a further progress report of the probe and fixed the case for November 10.

“Vide separate order the matter has been referred to CBI for further investigation under the provisions of the CrPC.

“Copy of the order passed be sent to Director, CBI and to all the DIGs, CBI who are supervising the investigation of all coal blocks allocation cases.

“Put up for submission of progress report on further investigation on November 10,” Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said.

The court also told investigating officer (IO) Rajbir Singh that the further report should be thorough and the agency should also give proper reasons in support of the conclusion drawn in the report.

“I hope you will now probe on the lines of the court’s earlier order and if you differ in your conclusion, then give detailed reasons for it,” the judge said.

During the last hearing on September 30, the court had pulled up the CBI officers for the way they handled the probe in the coal blocks allocation scam case, saying the agency’s officers “lacked basic skills of investigation”.

It had ordered its Director Ranjit Sinha and all concerned DIGs to personally look into the matter failing which they would be held “responsible”.

The court had also observed that the agency officers were withholding documents from it for reasons best known to them and even the statement of witnesses, recorded during the probe into the case, was not placed before it.

The judge had also said CBI officers were not following the basics of the CrPC and even their crime manual during investigation of the case.

Even after repeated directions by the court, the CBI officers were not paying any heed to it, the judge had said.

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