Director of AMR under scanner for allegedly twisting allocation facts The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today questioned Arvind Jayaswal in the coal block allocation scam. Jayaswal, director of AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Limited, was questioned for allegedly misrepresentating and concealing the fact that the company had already been allotted five blocks when it had applied for the one at Bander in Maharashtra. AMR was required to provide details of its allocations but is said to have concealed this because it would have weakened its claim and also because the company wanted to avoid scrutiny, the CBI believes. CBI is also examining the possibility of criminal conspiracy by senior officials of the coal ministry. They’re suspected to have been aware of the allocation of five blocks to AMR. The agency is also likely to call Manoj Jayaswal and Ramesh Jayaswal, directors in the company, and also Devendra Darda, son of Congress party Member of Parliament Vijay Darda. CBI officials say the company, to establish financial eligibility to acquire the Bander block, had claimed it was a proposed special purpose vehicle of Darda’s Lokmat Group and IL&FS. It had also claimed the combined net worth of the proposed vehicle as that of the company. CBI is also looking at the role of senior government officials allegedly involved in other misrepresentation before the screening committee. In one such case, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog was not recommended by the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry initially. However, during the 36th screening committee meeting (held on July 3, 2008), the then chief secretary of Jharkhand had recommended allocating the Rajhara (North and Eastern) blocks to Vini, instead of to Zoom Vallabh Steel, which had been recommended by the steel ministry. Similarly, the roles of senior coal ministry officials are also under the scanner in allocating the Mahuagarhi block to Jas Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd by not scrutinising the documents presented by the company, and allowing it to get undue advantage in the allocation process. Manoj Jayaswal is also accused in this case. CBI investigations have found Jas Infrastructure was allocated seven blocks between 1999 and 2005 but the company had concealed this information.