New Delhi: The CBI on Tuesday filed another chargesheet against former Parliament member Naveen Jindal and five others in connection with alleged irregularities in the Urtan North Coal Block allocation in Madhya Pradesh. Taking cognisance of the chargesheet, special judge Bharat Parashar issued summons to Jindal, four individuals and the Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) company, asking them to appear before it on September 4.
“From the overall facts and circumstances of the case as stand disclosed from the final report filed by CBI including the documents and statement of witnesses, I am of the considered opinion that prima facie offences under section 120 B criminal conspiracy/420 (cheating) IPC and 420 (cheating) IPC is made out against accused...” the court said. The company will be represented by an authorised official.
Public prosecutor V.K. Sharma and A.P. Singh told the court that there was enough evidence against the accused to initiate further proceedings. The four individuals, besides Jindal, accused in the case are JSPL’s adviser Anand Goel, executive director of raw materials, D.N. Abrol, the then executive vice-chairman and CEO Vikrant Gujaral, and former director (finance) Sushil Maroo. They too were chargesheeted. The CBI has chargesheeted all six under sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy and cheating. To support its allegation, CBI has submitted a list of 64 prosecution witnesses in the case.
The probe agency said in its chargesheet that during investigation it was revealed that the JSPL and its office-bearers misrepresented before the screening committee facts pertaining to land acquired for its Patratu project in Jharkhand and orders for equipment placed for its Angul project in Odisha, as on December 8, 2007, and obtained the coal block.
The CBI alleged that the accused cheated the Ministry of Coal and got a “wrongful gain and pecuniary advantage”. The CBI added that Jindal and other officials of JSPL had appeared before the screening committee on December 8, 2007 and had made the presentation and submitted latest status of end use plant in feedback form under signature of Abrol.
The CBI alleged that in the feedback form, JSPL has misrepresented facts and made false claims that it had already acquired 964 acre of land for its Patratu project and already placed order for equipment for its Angul project for Rs 4,340 crore.
On August 17, 2008, the coal ministry approved allocation to Urtan North coal block to JSPL and Monnet Ispat and Energy Limited. The probe agency also said no incriminating material was found against any public servant.
