The Prime Minister today assured the Rajya Sabha that the government is making all out efforts to trace the missing files on the coal block allocations. Dr Manmohan Singh said it is premature to say that the files, which are not being traced, are missing. Intervening on the clarifications sought by members on the Coal Minister's statement, Dr Singh said the government has nothing to hide in the matter and asked the opposition not to draw hasty conclusions and let the House function smoothly. Dr Singh said a majority of over one lakh 50 thousand documents have been handed over to CBI. He said it clearly shows the government's intention to facilitate the on-going enquiry, which is being monitored by the Supreme Court. The Prime Minister said the government has extended the fullest cooperation to the Comptroller and Auditor General in its performance audit and later to the CBI in its investigation. Dr Singh said the matter is sub judice and the apex court has directed the CBI to prepare a list of missing documents required for the probe and gave two weeks' time to government to provide all documents to the investigating agency. The Prime Minister said if the government is unable to trace them within the time frame given by the Supreme Court, it will order a CBI enquiry.
Earlier, raising the issue, the opposition leaders wanted to
know what steps the government has taken so far on the missing files. They also asked why no FIR has been filed till now. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley charged the government with misleading the House by saying that the missing coal files relate to the period prior to 2004. Sitaram Yechury of the CPIM, Naresh Agrawal of the Samajwadi Party, Dr V Maitreyan of the AIADMK , Derek O'brien of the Trinamool Congress and Mayawati of the BSP also sought clarifications on the issue