The Central Bureau of Investigation is conducting searches at six locations in West Bengal including the residence of state Law minister Moloy Ghatak in Asansol in connection with the alleged coal scam case.
The CBI raids are being conducted at five locations in Kolkata and one in Asansol at the residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Moloy Ghatak.
The CBI had registered a case in the matter on September 20, 2012 under section – 120B r/w 420 IPC r/w 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. On completion of the investigation, a chargesheet was filed by the CBI against Grace Industries Limited and Mukesh Gupta, director of the company in the court on October 28, 2014.
The Court on August 10, 2015, took cognizance of the offences punishable under section – 120B r/w 409/420 IPC r/w 13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) and (d) of the PC Act, 1988 and substantive offences. Accordingly, summons were issued to the accused persons for their appearance before the Court. During the course of trial, a total of 34 witnesses had been examined by the prosecution/CBI to prove its case.
According to the CBI, allegations against the convicts M/s Grace Industries Ltd. and Mukesh Gupta during the period between the year 2005 to 2011 at New Delhi, Maharashtra and other places, in furtherance of the common object of the criminal conspiracy hatched with other co-accused persons i.e. HC Gupta, KS Kropha and cheated by Ministry of Coal, Government of India by dishonestly and fraudulently inducing the Ministry of Coal to allocate “Lohara East Coal Block” situated in the state of Maharashtra in favour of M/s GIL on the basis of false information about net worth, capacity, equipment and status of procurement and installation of the plant.
CBI also stated that the said, company in its application claimed its net worth as Rs.120 Crores whereas its own networth was Rs 3.3 crores only company falsified its existing capacity as 1,20,000 Third Party Administrator (TPA) against 30,000 TPA.
In a order dated August 25, 2014 the Supreme Court of India had cancelled the entire allocations of Coal Blocks. Vide order dated: January 19, 2015, Special Judge of the trial court had observed that the working of the officers of the Prime Minister’s office also does not appear to be above Board. (ANI)
