New Delhi, August 23
As the BJP-led Opposition blocked the functioning of Parliament over missing files pertaining to coal block allocations, Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal today said that his ministry has handed over all important files to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the probe agency which is investigating the coal block allocations and that only seven files were untraceable.

Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, present in the Rajya Sabha, waited to make an intervention during the discussion on the missing coal block allocation files and the two TDP MPs continued to make noise over the division of Andhra Pradesh, forcing Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien to adjourn the House till Monday, Jaiswal said 173 applications and nine other documents pertaining to coal block allocations were not traceable and efforts were on to locate them.

He also said that out of 19 applications sought by the CBI, three applications have already been made available and "the remaining 16 applications along with 157 applications...are being searched." So far 769 documents, files have been handed over to the CBI, 497 files have been handed over, he said while pointing out that only 7 files were remaining to be made available and the rest were copies of applications and connected papers.

The statement from the Coal Minister came even as the Deputy Chairman said that he had no other option but to adjourn the House and he needed support from members to act against the two MPs.

He held the two members responsible for taking the house to ransom.

“Those who wanted the Prime Minsiter to reply are not supporting me to take action against the MPs,” Kurien said while adjourning the House.

The government had announced yesterday that it will hold a discussion over missing files in the Rajya Sabha today and, if required, the Prime Minister might give a clarification on the issue.

In his statement, Jaiswal said that out of 43 files which were said to be missing, 21 have already been handed over to CBI and 15 are being sent to the investigating agency.

Jaiswal said that it is not correct to say large numberof files are missing.

Saying that “If we are unable to trace the files accountability will be fixed,” the minister added that the CBI has requisitioned documents from the Coal Ministry and it would be wrong to call them files.

He said that in a letter sent to the CBI, said that the Coal Ministry has handed over all substantial files to the investigating agency since it had sought as many as 225 files pertaining to the coal block allocations.

Jaiswal argued that "it would be wrong to classify any file or document as missing at this stage when an inter-ministerial committee is actively engaged in locating these papers." He pointed out that only a handful of files are yet to be located and "if we are unable to locate some papers, government will ensure that due investigations are carried out and guilty brought to book."

He said as investigation progresses, "if additional documents are called for by the CBI and, if any document is not readily available, it shall make every effort to trace and supply them to the CBI."