New Delhi: A Special Court today rejected plea to summon former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a defence witness by the director of a private company who is an accused in a coal scam case.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar dismissed the plea to summon the ex-prime minister's to depose about genuineness of the documents brought from the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and Ministry of Coal.
The accused, Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL) Director R S Rungta had said in his plea, "He (Manmohan Singh) will prove the record of the Coal Ministry and the decision taken by him about constitution of screening committee and its functions and powers and would also prove the corresponding record of the Ministry of Coal."
Besides R S Rungta, the other two accused in the case are JIPL and its other director R C Rungta.
The case pertains to allotment of North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to JIPL allegedly on the basis of false and forged documents.
The court had on November 21 concluded the recording of statements of accused in the case.
JIPL and both the Rungtas were earlier put on trial by the court which had framed charges against them for securing allotment of the coal block allegedly on the basis of false and forged documents.
The court had framed charges against the three accused for 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) and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code.
All the accused had pleaded not guilty and had refuted the allegations levelled against them by CBI.
In its chargesheet, the CBI had alleged that it had found in the probe that JIPL had "grossly misrepresented" a number of aspects before Ministry of Steel (MoS) and Ministry of Coal (MoC) to inflate their claim, thereby inducing MoC officers and the screening committee to allocate the coal block to them.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar dismissed the plea to summon the ex-prime minister's to depose about genuineness of the documents brought from the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and Ministry of Coal.
The accused, Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL) Director R S Rungta had said in his plea, "He (Manmohan Singh) will prove the record of the Coal Ministry and the decision taken by him about constitution of screening committee and its functions and powers and would also prove the corresponding record of the Ministry of Coal."
The case pertains to allotment of North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to JIPL allegedly on the basis of false and forged documents.
Advertisement
JIPL and both the Rungtas were earlier put on trial by the court which had framed charges against them for securing allotment of the coal block allegedly on the basis of false and forged documents.
Advertisement
All the accused had pleaded not guilty and had refuted the allegations levelled against them by CBI.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
3 Killed, 4 Injured After Coal Mine Collapses In Pakistan PM Modi Calls On Pratibha Patil, Manmohan Singh, H D Devegowda As He Begins Third term "Final Chance To Protect Nation From...": Manmohan Singh's 7th Phase Appeal 25,000 Aspirants For Airport Job Paying Rs 22,000: A Mumbai Stampede Scare 4 Top Leaders Quit Ajit Pawar's Party In Major Setback After Poll Drubbing Karnataka's 100% Quota Bill For Kannadigas In Private Firms For These Posts 2016 Mercedes Hit-And-Run Victim's Parents Awarded Rs 1.98 Crore Relief "By Hook Or Crook, He's Behind Bars": Arvind Kejriwal Lawyer In High Court Richa Chadha Showcased Her Baby Bump In A Shirt For Her Maternity Shoot Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.