The CBI today gave its nod before a special court here to make an employee of Jindal Group an approver in a coal scam case involving industrialist Naveen Jindal of the group and others as accused.
Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and 12 others are accused in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and GSIPL in 2008.
Special Judge Bharat Parashar has now fixed the matter for June 6 for pronouncing the order on the application of chartered accountant Suresh Singhal, who is also an accused in the case, that he be pardoned and made an approver.
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The court reserved its order on Singhal's plea after the probe agency submitted that as per the investigation conducted so far, the accused is likely to help in the prosecution and the CBI had no objection on his application.
Earlier, the court had allowed CBI to quiz Singhal and further probe the matter before answering his application.
During the proceedings, the CBI told the court that the investigation was being conducted in the matter and it had recorded the statement of the accused and had recovered certain documents during the probe.
However, it told the court that the investigation was yet to be completed.
At this, the court told the CBI, "Don't be so slow in the process."
During the hearing, the court also took strong note of several accused filing "unnecessary applications" before the court and asked them to refrain from doing so.
"Stop moving unnecessary applications. The case has now moved beyond the point of charge. Reserve applications for genuine reasons. Let the trial begin," the court said, adding that it can take strong action in future.
The court made the observations on an application seeking exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds, without being supported with any medical certificate.
On April 29, the court had ordered framing of charges against the accused for criminal conspiracy, cheating and other offences in Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation scam case.
The court is yet to formally frame charges against the accused.
The court had on May 20 allowed CBI's application to
question Singhal on agency's plea that before answering to the plea of Singhal for pardon, it wanted to interrogate him to decide whether his assistance could strengthen the case.
The advocate appearing for Singhal as amicus curiae, had told the court that the accused was in possession of various documents and could produce them as and when required.
On May 11, the court had said that Singhal's statement be supplied to the CBI for rendering assistance on the issue. Following this, the documents were supplied to the probe agency.
The court had, however, clarified that issue of supplying the copy of Singhal's statement to the counsel representing other accused would be decided after hearing the arguments advanced by the probe agency.
While seeking pardon, Singhal had sought to make a disclosure statement in the case which was later recorded by a magistrate and was placed before the special judge in a sealed cover.
Apart from Jindal, Rao and Koda, the court had also ordered to put on trial former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and 11 others, who were chargesheeted by the CBI in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and GSIPL in 2008.
Besides them, the other accused are -- Rajeev Jain, Director of Jindal Realty Pvt Ltd, Girish Kumar Suneja and Radha Krishna Saraf, Directors of GSIPL, Singhal, also Director of New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd, K Ramakrishna Prasad, Managing Director of Sowbhagya Media Ltd and chartered accountant Gyan Swaroop Garg. These accused are currently out on bail.
Besides them, five firms -- JSPL, JRPL, Gagan Infraenergy Ltd (formerly known as GSIPL), Sowbhagya Media Ltd and New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd -- are also accused in the case.
