New Delhi: Television channel CNBC- TV18 reported late on Monday evening, citing unnamed oil ministry officials that V.K. Sibal, the director general of hydrocarbons had resigned.
Mint couldn’t independently verify this. Petroleum minister Murli Deora couldn’t be reached for comment. Sibal himself couldn’t be reached and calls to his mobile phone were answered by his assistant who declined comment on the issue. Sibal has been caught in the corssfire between warring brothers Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd and Anil Ambani’s Reliance Natural Resources Ltd are engaged in a bitter court battle over the supply of gas by the former to the latter. Anil Ambani has alleged that Sibal favoured RIL.
These allegations and others that claim Sibal accepted favours from RIL are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation at the instance of the Central Vigilance Commission. Sibal has consistently denied any wrongdoing on his part.
Sibal’s term was to end at the end of October.
The CNBC-TV18 report said the ministry is yet to decide on a replacement.
