Coal scam: Court summons firms, its two directors as accused

New Delhi, Dec 21: A special court has summoned M/s Adhunik Corporation Ltd and its two directors as accused in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Patrapara coal block in Odisha.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar took cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case and directed the accused firm and its two directors, Nirmal Kumar Agarwal and Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, to appear before it on January 15 next year.

The court, however, discharged another director of the firm, Ghanshyam Das Agarwal, who was also chargesheeted by CBI in the case, saying there was no sufficient incriminating evidence on record which could lead to his summoning as an accused in the matter.

"I am of the considered opinion that prima facie it is clear that while accused company M/s Adhunik Corporation Ltd and its two directors Nirmal Agarwal and Mahesh Kumar Agarwal made false claims before Ministry of Steel supporting them by false and forged documents in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy so as to cheat Ministry of Steel and Ministry of Coal so as to procure allotment of Patrapara coal block but as regard accused Ghanshyam Das Agarwal there is not sufficient incriminating evidence warranting his summoning," the judge said.

The court has summoned the firm and its two directors for alleged offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged documents) of the IPC.

"I take cognisance of the offences under sections 120-B/ 420/468 and 471 IPC alongwith substantive offences thereof as against accused company M/s Adhunik Corporation Ltd, its Director Nirmal Kumar Agarwal and Mahesh Kumar Agarwal," the judge said.

In its charge sheet, the CBI said in the 30th Screening Committee, M/s Adhunik Corporation Ltd was recommended for part allocation of Patrapara coal block.

"During the course of investigation it was found that M/s Adhunik Corporation Ltd had misrepresented on various aspects both to Ministry of Steel and thereby to Ministry of Coal with a view to cheat them so as to procure allocation of Patrapara coal block," CBI said.

PTI