New Delhi:Directors of Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd R S Rungta and R C Rungta were today granted bail by a special court in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case after they appeared before it in pursuance to the summons issued against them.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, who is exclusively dealing with all the coal blocks allocation scam case, enlarged both the accused on bail on a personal bond of Rs one lakh each and with one surety of the like amount.
“It will be in the interest of justice if the two accused persons are enlarged on bail...” the judge said. Meanwhile, the CBI told the court that two private persons Ramabatar Kedia and Naresh Mahto, who were also summoned as accused in the case, have reportedly died and they are verifying the facts regarding their demise.
Besides the Rungta's, Kedia and Mahto the court has also summoned as accused Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd for the alleged offences punishable under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine) and 477-A (falsification of accounts) of the IPC.
They were summoned as accused in a case pertaining to allocation of North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL) after the court took cognizance of the charge sheet on December 18, last year.
During the hearing, senior advocate Ramesh Gupta who appeared for the Rungta's and the firms sought bail arguing that his clients have duly joined the investigation and have cooperated with the CBI in all manners and they have appeared in the court as soon as summons were issued against them.
Senior Public Prosecutor A K Singh opposed their bail pleas contending that although they were not required for purpose of investigation but their presence was required during the trial.
The court after hearing the submissions granted bail to the Rungta's and posted the matter for further hearing on February 2.
In its charge sheet, CBI had alleged that during the probe, it was found that JIPL had “grossly misrepresented” a number of aspects before the Ministry of Steel (MoS) and MoC to inflate their claim and thereby induced the MoC officers and the screening committee to allocate the coal block to them.
CBI alleged that JIPL along with three other firms, M/s Electro Steel Casting Ltd, M/s Adhunik Alloys and Power Ltd and M/s Pawanjay Steel and Power Ltd, was jointly allocated North Dhadu coal block by 27th and 30th screening committee.
The CBI, however, did not charge sheet 12 other accused persons contending there were no incriminating evidence about their involvement in the commission of offences.
In its charge sheet, CBI had alleged that no efforts were made either by the screening committee to verify the claims made by the applicant firm and that MoS also did not develop any methodology for assessment of the applicant companies.
It said some of the records of the MoC related to the case was stated to be missing and a separate preliminary enquiry has been registered by CBI.
CBI said that no involvement of any of the public servants was found in the entire process during its probe.
