The CBI has begun probing alleged irregularities in the country's first-ever attempt to explore untapped mineral wealth worth thousands of crores lying in the deep sea bed. Our correspondent reports, a preliminary enquiry has been registered by the agency in connection with the alleged favours extended to the companies by the unknown officials of the Indian Bureau of Mines while awarding licences for exploring minerals in the sea bed of Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI will also start an inquiry into allotment of coal blocks to captive miners including state government entities since 1993. Our correspondent quoting official CBI sources reports that CBI has decided to probe all coal block allocation cases during NDA and UPA one rule. The Central Vigilance Commission, CVC, the corruption watch dog in the country yesterday asked the CBI to probe coal block allocation cases since 1993. Last week, Coal Minister Shri Prakash Jaiswal wrote to CVC seeking a CBI probe into all the coal blocks allocated since 1993 when Government had started allocation to private players for captive use. Seeking the CBI probe, Mr Jaiswal had also forwarded a letter written by seven parliamentarians to the CVC saying that blocks allotted between 1993 and 2004 including those given during NDA rule should be investigated by the CBI, as allegedly favours were done to parties under political pressure