The Supreme Court on Monday sought the stands of the Centre and the Odisha government on allegations that authorities had indulged in corruption in giving a coal block, allocated to the state mining corporation in 2003, to a private firm.

The PIL has also sought a CBI probe into divesting Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd (OMC) of the coal block in Talcher coalfield of Angul district and handing over the same to the private firm.

A bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave also issued notices to the Ministry of Coal, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the CBI, the OMC and Delhi-based private mining firm, Sainik Mining and Allied Services Ltd, which was handed over the coal block.