The mystery of the missing files from the Coal Ministry caused much embarrassment to the Central government in Parliament on Monday with the Opposition vociferously raising it in the Rajya Sabha and terming the disappearance a “conspiracy” to save Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Opposition cornered the government demanding a statement from Prime Minister or the Coal Minister during the Zero Hour. “This is a very serious issue, nothing can be condemnable. This a conspiracy... an attempt to save the Prime Minister,” BJP’s Dharmendra Pradhan said. He was joined in full measure by the Leader of Opposition, Arun Jaitley, who insinuated, “There are three powerful targets of investigation - the beneficiaries who benefited from coal blocks, the screening committee which allotted the mines and the Minister, the Minister’s Office and the Prime Minister’s Office - and suddenly the files are found missing.”
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, CPI’s Gurudas Dasgupta said it gives rise to serious concern that the files have been deliberately removed “so that people in high positions do not get involved and the role of the PMO does not come under the shadow of suspicion.” He urged Singh to initiate an “effective, proper and neutral” probe into the matter. to find out the people behind the act of “sabotaging the investigation” carried out by the CBI.
Meanwhile, the CBI is likely to inform the Supreme Court that the missing files are hampering its probe in the case. Sources said a number of files related to the 1993-2004 period are missing.