New Delhi:- Two NDA government’s ministers Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir today sought the copy of CBI’s closure report filed in a coal scam allocation case allegedly involving Prakash Industries Ltd (PIL) and others.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar asked the CBI to give copy of the closure report to the counsel for Javadekar and Ahir, whom the court had earlier issued notices asking them if they wanted to submit anything on the final report in the case.
The ministers’ counsel also sought some time to advance their submissions on the issue.
Advocate Ajay Digpaul, who appeared for Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), submitted that they have not yet received the comments from the Ministry of Coal (MoC) on the issue and CVC’s views, if any, can be submitted only upon receipt of comments from the ministry.
The court fixed the case for further hearing on July 28.
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 has no role to play in the case and it was these two leaders on whose complaint the Commission had started its proceedings.
It had said that before accepting CBI’s closure report, the court was duty bound to issue notice to the complainant.
While Javadekar is presently the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ahir is Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
The court, however, had clarified that Javadekar and Ahir need not appear in person to make any submissions unless they desire to do so themselves.
The court had earlier directed 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 has 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 MoC 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 showed undue favour to it.
PTI
