31-yr-old CBI matter: Court finds case, to frame charges

During the tardy pace of judicial proceedings, spanning over three decades till now, four of the seven accused have died while one another has pleaded guilty.

Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja decided to frame charges against K L Arora, the erstwhile personal assistant of a director in Union Ministry of Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilisers for allegedly leaking out secret information pertaining to setting up of ammonia plants in Maharashtra and Gujarat, for pecuniary considerations.

The court also found prima facie case against co-accused Nanak Sheth, the then regional manager of Industrial Consulting Bureau.

"Considering the totality of facts and circumstances, I am of the opinion that there is prima facie sufficient material for framing charges against the accused persons for the offences alleged against them under sections 120-B IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with section 5(1)(a), 5(2) of Official Secrets Act and section 409 IPC (criminal breach of trust)," the court said.

The CBI case dated back to 1979, when the Centre had awarded contracts for setting up ammonia plants at Thal-Vaishet in Maharashtra and Hazira in Gujarat to US-based M/s C F Braun & Company.

The decision taken by the Union government was, however, reversed and the contracts were awarded to some other firms from Denmark and UK in August 1980.

At around the same time, some classified documents from the Ministry of Petroleum relating to the award of contract was reported to have been leaked out. (MORE)