Sc Gives Cbi 3 Months To Finish Satish Sharma Case

The Supreme Court yesterday granted the CBI three months more to complete investigations against former petroleum minister Satish Sharma in the case of discretionary allotment of petrol pumps and LPG gas dealerships.

Additional Solicitor General A M Singhvi submitted the results of the CBI investigations made so far in a sealed envelope to the division bench consisting of Justice S P Bharucha and Justice Faizanuddin. He also sought time to complete the investigations. His prayer was granted.

The court had last year asked the CBI to investigate and charge-sheet him for misuse of the discretionary quota by allotting dealerships to relatives of people close to him and the oil committees.

 

The allotments of pumps and LPG agencies was declared to be a breach of public trust and Sharma was asked to pay a compensation of Rs 50 lakhs to the exchequer, setting a trend in law. This was followed in the case of former Himachal Governor Sheila Kaul also in the scam regarding allotment of prime commercial sites in the capital.