Special court commences hearing in coal block allocation cases

The special court, constituted by the Supreme Court to exclusively hold trial in cases of coal blocks allocation scam, today commenced proceedings with the CBI informing it that probe in the case, involving Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda and others, was "almost complete".
CBI told the court that its further probe in the case, in which Darda, his son Devendra Darda, Nagpur-based AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd's Director Manoj Jayaswal and AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd were chargesheeted, was complete and they will file a supplementary report within a week.
The agency's response came when Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar asked, "What is the status of your further investigation?"

Responding to this, the investigating officer (IO) said, "We have almost completed the probe. We will file supplementary report within a week".
The court has now fixed the case for hearing on August 29.
"The IO says that further probe is almost complete and supplementary report shall be furnished within 8-10 days...Put up for August 29," the judge said.

During the hearing, Vijay Darda, Devendra Darda, Manoj Jayaswal and authorised representative of the company were present in the court.
Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for all the accused, argued on an application filed earlier on behalf of Devendra Darda seeking permission for renewal of his passport.

CBI, however, told the court that the passport authorities have already initiated proceedings in the matter and it would be appropriate if concerned passport official should be heard on the issue.
To this, the judge said, "Let us learn from the passport officer" and asked the IO to call the concerned passport officer in the court on the next date of hearing.
However, during the proceedings, Aggarwal told the court that some of the documents filed by the CBI along with the charge sheet have not been supplied to him.
On court's query, the IO said they have supplied to the accused all the documents filed along with the charge sheet.