Delhi HC ordered the CBI to investigate why Adani Enterprises was allowed to bid for the Jharia coal block in Jharkhand.

Case: CBI v Ram Gopal & Ors

The Delhi High Court recently ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate why Adani Enterprises was allowed to bid for the Jharia coal block in Jharkhand despite a technical committee's adverse comments about the company. 

The CBI was also ordered to investigate two other companies on Wednesday, AMR India and Lanco Infratech, according to Special CBI Judge Arun Bhardwaj.

Lanco Infratech won the coal block after all three companies submitted bids.

A prior order passed by the Court on December 16, 2022, directed the CBI to explain why these companies were allowed to bid despite several adverse observations by the Technical Evaluation Committee.

In the absence of copies of submissions made to the statutory government authorities in support of coal production, the Technical Evaluation Committee ruled Adani Enterprises Ltd ineligible.

The Court decided that, after reviewing the CBI's reply, PT Lamindo Inter Multikon, a step-down subsidiary (through its subsidiaries) of Adani Enterprises Ltd, needed to conduct further investigation into the Quarterly Reports of Coal Production Activity submitted to the Department of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Indonesia and the Department of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia for the financial year 2010-11.

There are also certain aspects concerning AMR and Lanco that need further investigation, the Court added.