Coalgate: Court summons ex-coal Secretary HC Gupta, others as accused

The court also rejected the closure report of the CBI

A special court today rejected the closure report of CBI and summoned as accused former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, two government servants, MP-based Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd and its officials in a coal blocks allocation scam case.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar took cognisance of the offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust by public servant under the IPC and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

"I am taking cognisance for the offences under sections 120B, 420 and 409 of the IPC and also under sections 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. I am summoning the accused," the judge said, adding that a separate order will be followed.

The court issued summons to Gupta, two other serving government officials, Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd, its managing director Pavan Ahluwalia and senior official Amit Goyal and directed them to appear before it on October 31.

The court directed the investigating officer to get the summons served to all the accused and also asked him to complete the documents to be given to the accused before the next date of hearing (October 31).

The court passed the order while rejecting the closure report filed by CBI in the case in which Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd, its directors, Pavan, Kamaljeet Ahluwalia, Prashant Ahluwalia, Amit and some unknown government servants were named as accused for allegedly misrepresenting facts,including inflated net worth, to acquire coal blocks.