Hat tip to Tony Botelho, of Goa Petcoke Consultancy, for this item.

According to a newspaper story that Tony sent me, the Indian Criminal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought permission to conduct an investigation into the entire board of National aluminium Company, better known in the Aluminium world as NALCO.

The investigation relates to a contract awarded for the transfer and treatment of slurry from the NALCO alumina refinery. It seems that the company that won the business has absolutely no financial history, the inference being that the company is some sort of front. But the entire board of NALCO reviewed and approved the awarding of the contract.

The CBI is also investigating certain members of the Ministry of Mining in India.

According to the newspaper, wittily called DNA India (Daily News & Analysis), the CBI must seek approval to conduct the investigation due to the senior level of the people at the centre of their focus. However there isn’t a great chance that the investigation will be approved. According to the story, already certain defensive tactics are being deployed, such as deferring the investigation and appointing junior officers to the work. The paper was quite forthright in their description of the machinations going on to prevent the investigation from going ahead.

NALCO is of course a Government-owned company. It is highly unlikely there would be any disruption to alumina or metal production as a result of the investigation or of any findings or actions arising. But the story gives an interesting insight into how things run in India.

You can find the story here.