The Steel Ministry has communicated to the Coal Ministry that it is trying to locate 10 more files with regard to coal block allocation amid controversy over the missing files pertaining to mines allotment.
“Of the list of 157 missing files, 74 pertain to the Steel Ministry. CBI has directly taken 18 files from the Steel Ministry out of the list of 74. The Steel Ministry has conveyed to the Coal Ministry that it has located 46 files and is trying to locate 10 more files,” a source privy to the development said.
However, the Coal Ministry has asked the Steel Ministry in writing about the 46 files which have been located by them, the source added.
The source further said that 20 missing cases pertain to the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), which has communicated to the Coal Ministry that it would not be able to locate the documents.
The Coal Ministry had yesterday said it is in the process of locating the documents.
The Coal Ministry under the Chairmanship of Coal Secretary S. K. Srivastava had yesterday reviewed the efforts being made to locate the documents mentioned in the lists sent by CBI.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the ministries of coal, steel and power, among others.
The issue of missing files snowballed into a controversy in Parliament even as the Supreme Court directed the CBI to furnish a comprehensive list of documents/files/information that are yet to be received from the Government.
Slamming the Centre for not lodging FIRs on the missing files, the apex court had on August 29 given two weeks to the Government to make available the requisitioned documents, a list of which has been given by the CBI to the Ministry.