The agency has registered the PE, which is the first step of initiating the CBI probe, against unknown persons in connection with a complaint referred to it by the Central Vigilance Commission.
Senior CBI officials made it clear that probe would primarily focus on the alleged irregularities in utilisation of coal blocks by the allottee companies between 2006 and 2009.
The Commission had forwarded the complaint of BJP leaders Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir who had alleged that first-come-first-serve basis was adopted by the government to benefit some private companies.
The CBI top brass met yesterday and decided to start the probe in connection with the case although it found that reference received from the CVC are general allegations in which names or individual companies are not mentioned.
The orders to register the preliminary enquiry were issued today, CBI sources said.
"We are happy that CVC has taken cognisance of our complaint. The CVC has written to us saying your complaints have been duly examined in the Commission having regard to the issues raised therein and the same has been forwarded to the CBI for a preliminary inquiry," Javadekar, who was accompanied by Ahir, told reporters. More