Coalscam: Court summons pvt firm, two officials, other

A special court on Wednesday took cognisance of a charge sheet filed by CBI against a private firm and three persons in a coal block scam case relating to alleged irregularities in allocation of North Dhadhu coal block in Jharkhand.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar issued summons against M/s Pawanjay Steel and Power Limited (PSPL), its two directors -- Gyanchand Prasad Agarwal and Umesh Prasad Agarwal -- and S K Kanungo, Chief Manager (Marketing) of M/s Hari Machines Ltd (HML), for alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, saying “prima facie there were sufficient incriminating evidence on record warranting summoning of accused.” 

“In the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I take cognizance of the offences under section 120-B/420 IPC against accused company PSPL, its two directors and Chief Manager (Marketing), HML.

“As against company PSPL and its director Umesh Prasad Agarwal, I also take cognizance of the offence under section 420 IPC,” the judge said while asking the accused to appear before it on November 9. CBI had registered the case for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the IPC and under section of the Prevention of Corruption Act against PSPL, its officials, Kanungo and other unknown persons.

However, CBI said that charge sheet against some other officials and public servants against whom it had initiated the investigation, could not be filed as sufficient evidence could not be brought on record. It added that it may file supplementary charge sheet in the case. The charge sheet said “PSPL and its two directors along with Kanungo, hatched a criminal conspiracy with a view to deceive Ministry of Coal (MoC) so as to induce it to allocate a captive coal block in favour of the accused firm”.