Ranchi, April 28: The CBI has instituted four preliminary enquiry cases against the public sector undertakings — Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) and Bokaro Steel Ltd (BSL) — to detect the nexus between the company managements and unauthorised occupation of their land and quarters.
The CBI registered the cases late yesterday evening after Jharkhand High Court, refusing to entertain a modification petition on Tuesday, left it to the investigating agency to pursue.
The court, in an order on April 19, had directed the CBI to lodge an FIR to investigate illegal occupation on quarters and land belonging to the four PSUs. Over 23,000 quarters are said to be illegally occupied by people, including politicians, policemen, contractors and former employees of the PSUs.
The agency, in its petition, yesterday sought the court to modify its order to the extent that it be allowed to first gather evidence and make it a case of criminal offence, if there required. The CBI said it would then convert the preliminary enquiry cases into regular FIRs.
According to law, the CBI lodges an FIR, if verification of an information or a preliminary enquiry reveals that a cognizable offence has been prima facie committed and the matter fit for investigation.
The CBI has trusted four officers to gather evidence of unauthorised occupation on the companies’ land and quarters. While B.K. Singh will probe into illegal occupation in CCL-owned land, A. Sahu will be engaged with BCCL.
D. Murmu will gather evidence in BSL, while Manas Bakshi will keep track of HEC.
CBI superintendent of police R.C. Chaudhary confirmed the development, saying the investigating officers would first gather evidence and then register cognizable offence, if required, and lodge FIRs.
The court, while hearing a PIL, registered suo motu, has mandated the CBI to investigate how, why and under what circumstances the unauthorised inhabitants came to occupy the buildings and land of the PSUs, and under whose tacit consent did they stay put. “This might have taken place with some underhand dealings as well. Thus, criminality is writ large in the action,” the court had observed.
