New Delhi, March 19 (IANS): The CBI on Thursday registered a fresh case in its ongoing probe into the coal block allocation scam, taking the total number to 39, an official said.

Three companies and other unknown officials were booked, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said, adding it has conducted searches at four places.

Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, Karnataka EMTA Coal Mines Limited (both based in Bengaluru), along with Gupta Coal Fields and Washeries Limited (at present known as Gupta Global Resources Privet Limited), and other unknown persons have been booked under charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal misconduct and Prevention of Corruption Act.

Several teams conducted searches at various places, including the offices and the residence of the officials related to these companies, in Kolkata, Bengaluru, New Delhi and Nagpur.

“The officials of the state PSU who had been allocated coal block had allegedly shown undue favour to the joint venture partner by deliberately ignoring and overlooking the condition of the joint venture relating to certification of quality of coal by an independent inspection agency. This caused huge advantage to the private partner,” said a CBI official.

“Further, the joint venture company in conspiracy with the private company engaged in washing of coal, had been in violation of coal ministry guidelines,” the official said.

Officials said a total of six coal blocks - Kiloni, Manora Deep and Baranj I to IV - were allocated to Karnataka Power Limited in November 2003.