NEW DELHI: A special court today said it would need some time to analyse the objections filed by Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir against CBI’s move to close a coal scam case, allegedly involving Prakash Industries Ltd (PIL) and others.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar fixed the case for hearing on November 5 when it will hear arguments on the protest petition filed by HRD Minister Javadekar and Minister of State for Home Ahir, who were complainants in case.
Central Vigilance Commission had started its proceedings on the complaints made by both the ministers. The two politicians have moved the court seeking rejection of CBI’s closure report filed in the case and a direction to the agency to further investigate matter and file a supplementary charge sheet in the case.
The protest petition alleged that the company, PIL, had deliberately misrepresented facts to the 35th Screening Committee in connivance with other accused to get the coal block and investigation was done on the same lines as claimed by the accused.
The petition of Javadekar and Ahir came in response to the court’s earlier notice asking them if they wanted to submit anything on the final report in the case.
The court had earlier issued notices to the two ministers after CVC Director Sanjay Agarwal had informed it that CVC was not a complainant in the matter and had no role to play in the case. It was these two leaders on whose complaint the Commission had started its proceedings, he had said.
The court had said that before accepting CBI’s closure report, it was duty bound to issue notice to the complainant.
It had earlier directed the CVC to clarify its stand on CBI’s closure report in the case in which an FIR was lodged on the basis of CVC’s reference.
An FIR was registered against PIL and others in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of Chhattisgarh’s Fatehpur coal block.
The court had earlier said the case was registered on the basis of CVC’s reference, but after completing its probe, CBI had filed a closure report saying no incriminating evidence had come on record warranting prosecution of any accused.
According to CBI, the Fatehpur coal block was allocated jointly to PIL and another firm by 35th Screening Committee.
The FIR was lodged against PIL, its three officials, some officials of the Coal Ministry and others on the charge that the firm had misrepresented its net worth while applying for the block.
The FIR was registered under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) of the IPC and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
CBI had alleged in its FIR that while the company had misrepresented facts relating to its net worth, the screening committee had deliberately not followed the guidelines and show undue favour to it. (AGENCIES)
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