CBI books former union min Jayanthi Natarajan for abuse of office, criminal conspiracy

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed an FIR against former Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan for 'criminal conspiracy' and 'abuse of official position'. Jayanthi Natarajan, the former Forest and Environment minister has been booked under IPC 120 B and 13 (2), 13/1(d) of the Prevention of Corruption act.

Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation, according to news agency PTI, carried out searches at the premises of Jayanthi Natarajan in Chennai on Saturday. Jayanthi has been named accused number one in the FIR that also names Umang Kejriwal, former managing director of Electosteel Casting limited.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is in possession of OneIndia, a case preliminary enquiry was registered over allegations that during 2005, unknown officials of Jharkhand recommended a proposal of Electrosteel Casting Limited to the Ministry of Environment and Forest for leasing 192.50 hectares of land for iron and manganese ore mining in Saranda forest. The allegation was that the proposal was in violation of section 2(iii) of the Forest (Conversation) act, 1980 but unknown officials of the union ministry approved the proposal on February 2, 2012.

The FIR states that company had sought 55.79 of the proposed 192.50 hectares for non-forestry use. Jayanthi Natarajan, as the then minister, approved the land for non-forestry use and diverted the same in violation of a Supreme Court order. "The facts reveal a criminal conspiracy between Jayanthi Natarajan, then forest minister and Umang Kejriwal and abuse of official office by Jayanthi Natarajan," the CBI FIR states.

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