BackCBI says enough evidence to take cognisance of offences in Birla case
Case relates to allotment of coal blocks to Aditya Birla Group's Hindalco Industries
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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had earlier filed a closure report in a coal blocks case involving industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh and others, told a special court on Monday that it now has enough evidence against them.
A spokesperson from the Aditya Birla group said: “As the matter is sub judice, it is inappropriate for us to comment."
The Supreme Court appointed-special public prosecutor (SPP) R.S. Cheema submitted before special CBI judge Bharat Parashar that the court can take cognisance on the closure report filed by it on 21 October as there was prima facie “evidence against the accused to show their involvement".
That report was filed after the court, on 12 September criticised CBI for being in a rush to clear Birla and Parakh, which it did in a closure report filed on 28 August.
The case, which related to the allotment of Talabira-II and Talabira-III coal blocks to the Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries Ltd, is part of a larger investigation into such allotments.
The Supreme Court cancelled most such allotments recently and the government has since said it will auction out the blocks and also hinted at a denationalisation of coal mining.
The court after hearing the submissions advanced by Cheema and CBI prosecutors V.K. Sharma and A.P. Singh fixed the matter for November 25 for consideration of the agency’s 21 October closure report.
In October 2013, CBI registered a preliminary case against Parakh and Birla. Hindalco was originally not awarded the blocks and Parakh revised his decision after a meeting with Birla, the agency claimed at the time.
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