Court seeks CBI's reply on complaint against Salman Khurshid

A special court here today sought Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) response on a plea seeking registration of an FIR against Congress leaders and former ministers Salman Khurshid and Pawan Kumar Bansal for allegedly abusing their official positions in ensuring extension of service for an NPCC official after his superannuation.

"Perusal of the entire record shows that complainant had filed a complaint dated April 29, 2015, with same allegation to Director, CBI. Therefore, it is necessary to know from CBI..," Special CBI judge Vinod Kumar said.

In its order, the court referred to the alleged facts on which the probe agency will have to respond by June 9 about the actions taken on the complaint sent to it earlier.

"What was the fate of the complaint dated April 29, 2015? If no actions were taken on the complaint, what were the reasons? If investigation/ preliminary investigation is pending on this complaint, what is the status of the same," the order asked the probe agency.

The complaint was filed by a former Assistant Engineer (Civil) of National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) against Khurshid, former Water Resource Minister, Bansal, who succeeded Khurshid in the ministry, and several other officials of the Ministry of Water Resources and A K Jhamb, the then Director (Engineering) NPCC Ltd.

He has claimed that "on the instance of Jhamb, the accused persons hatched a conspiracy to abuse their official positions and got Jhamb's tenure as a Director (Engg) with M/s NPCC Ltd extended beyond March 31, 2011 (Jhamb's retirement age)... despite earlier rejection of the plea by Public Enterprises Selection Board."

"In view of the above facts and circumstances...It is requested to order to register proper FIR against the accused persons...," the complaint said.