Cbi, 3 Others Served Notices In Mukta-Panna Case

The Delhi High Court yesterday issued notices to the Central government, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and the Enron-Reliance consortium on an application by the Peoples Union of Civil Liberties accusing the agency of harassing and intimidating the petitioners.

A division bench, comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice M K Sharma, directed the respondents to file replies by March 3, 1998, when the matter would come up for hearing.

Peoples Union and lawyer B L Wadhera, in two public interest litigation suits filed earlier, had challenged the transfer of Mukta-Panna oil fields to the Enron-Reliance consortium from ONGC. They had alleged that it had resulted in huge losses to ONGC and was fraught with illegalities.

 

The application moved by the petitioners counsel, Prashant Bhushan, alleged that a brazen attempt is being made by the CBI to harass and intimidate the petitioners with a view to put pressure upon them to withdraw their suits.

Seeking appropriate action against the concerned CBI officials responsible for summoning the petitioners and virtually raiding offices of their friends, Bhushan said this action of the agency amounted to contempt of court when the matter was pending before it.