Coal scam: court directs NIC to preserve records of case

National Informatics Centre (NIC) was today directed by a special court to ensure that records of the documents, which CBI is seeking to place before it in a coal blocks allocation scam case, be preserved.
The direction came after the accused said that they would argue on the application filed by CBI seeking the court's nod to place these documents on record in a case pertaining to the alleged irregularities in allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to a private firm.
"...I deem it appropriate to direct that while the application seeking production of the documents as mentioned in the application will be decided later on but it will be in the interest of justice if concerned person i.E. Piyush Goyal, Director Technical, NIC is directed to ensure that record as mentioned in the application be preserved so that if required it can be produced in the court at a later stage," Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said.

During the brief hearing, the prosecutor told the court that these documents would be required only after framing of charges, if any, in the case.
The court has fixed the matter for further hearing on arguments on charges in the case on April 29.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, ex-Jharkhand chief secretary Ashok Kumar Basu, ex-Coal Secretary H C Gupta, public servants Basant Kumar Bhattacharya and Bipin Bihari Singh, Kolkata-based Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), its Director Vaibhav Tulsyan, chartered accountant Navin Kumar Tulsyan and Koda's alleged close aide Vijay Joshi are accused in the case.
These eight individual accused were granted bail by the court after they had appeared before it in pursuance to the summons issued against them.