After CBI, ED to probe Jayanthi Natarajan

New Delhi: The ED seemed to be closing in on former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan. The ED now is preparing to probe the alleged abuse of position by her as minister.

Sources in the ED said, “The agency is preparing to initiate its own probe on the basis of FIR registered by the CBI against her (Ms Natarajan) for the alleged illegal diversion of forest land in Jharkhand for mining by a private firm”.

The ED will register a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The Income Tax department may also initiate its own probe into the matter.

The CBI recently handed over to the IT department crucial documents in connection with a case of alleged irregularities in giving clearance to a mine in Jharkhand against Natarajan. The tax authorities had requested the CBI to hand over the files to the former for their probe into the case.

The CBI had registered an FIR against her in connection with the clearance given during her tenure (in 2012) for the diversion of forest land for mining, in alleged violation of law and against the advice of officials, sources said. Apart from Ms Natarajan, the CBI had also booked Umang Kejriwal, then managing director of Electrosteel Casting Limited (ECL), and the company.

The case pertains to diversion of forest land in Saranda Forest in Singhbhum district of Jharkhand to ECL in alleged violation of the Forest (Conservation Act). The permission for the same was denied by former Minister of State for environment Jairam Ramesh, but granted when Ms Natarajan assumed office. She was MoS with independent charge of the ministry between 2011 and 2013.

“Jayanthi Natarajan, then Minister of State for environment and forests, accorded the approval for diversion of 55.79 hectares of forest land for non-forestry use to ECL, though the same had been rejected by the earlier MoS without any change in the circumstances after rejection,” the CBI FIR stated.