Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Coal scam: Court summons ex-coal secretary HC Gupta, others as accused
BackBack

Coal scam: Court summons ex-coal secretary HC Gupta, others as accused

Court fixed 21 October for hearing arguments on closure report filed by CBI in the case involving KM Birla and PC Parakh

The court issued summons to H.C. Gupta, two other serving government officials, Kamal Sponge Steel and Power, its managing director Pavan Ahluwalia and senior official Amit Goyal and directed them to appear before it on 31 October. Photo: AFPPremium
The court issued summons to H.C. Gupta, two other serving government officials, Kamal Sponge Steel and Power, its managing director Pavan Ahluwalia and senior official Amit Goyal and directed them to appear before it on 31 October. Photo: AFP

New Delhi: A special court on Monday rejected the closure report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and summoned as accused former coal secretary H.C. Gupta, two government servants, Madhya Pradesh-based Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd and its officials in the coal block allocation scam.

Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar took cognizance of the offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust by public servant under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. “I am taking cognizance for the offences under sections 120B, 420 and 409 of the IPC and also under sections 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. I am summoning the accused," the judge said, adding that a separate order will be followed.

The court issued summons to Gupta, two other serving government officials, Kamal Sponge Steel and Power, its managing director Pavan Ahluwalia and senior official Amit Goyal and directed them to appear before it on 31 October.

The court also fixed 21 October for hearing arguments on the closure report filed by the CBI in the coal block allocation case involving top industrialist K.M. Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh and others.

Parashar, who is dealing with all the coal scam-related cases, fixed the matter for 21 October as special public prosecutor R.S. Cheema was not available for advancing arguments on Monday. The CBI sought some time to advance the arguments on the closure report citing unavailability of Cheema and senior public prosecutor V.K. Sharma.

On 12 September, the court had asked CBI what was the hurry in closing the case in which FIR was registered against Birla, Parakh and others. The observation of the court had come after the investigating officer in the case had contended that the original minutes of meeting of screening committee, in which Birla-owned Hindalco Industries Ltd’s application seeking allocation of coal blocks was dealt with, were “missing". The agency had told the court that it has already lodged a preliminary enquiry regarding the missing documents.

CBI had on 28 August filed a closure report in the case. The FIR against Birla, Parakh and others was registered in October last year by CBI which had alleged that Parakh had reversed his decision to reject coal block allocation to Hindalco within months “without any valid basis or change in circumstances" and shown “undue favours".

The FIR relates to allocation of Talabira II and III coal blocks in 2005. CBI had booked Birla, Parakh and other officials of Hindalco under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct on the part of government officials. In its FIR, the agency had alleged that during the 25th screening committee meeting, chaired by Parakh, applications of Hindalco and Indal Industries were rejected for mining in Talabira II and III “citing valid reasons".

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Politics News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 13 Oct 2014, 12:45 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App