New Delhi:
A special court today said it would next month hear arguments on framing of charges in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of a Jharkhand coal block to accused firm M/s Jas Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd (JICPL).
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar fixed the case for arguments on framing of charges after the counsel for accused told the court that they have been supplied with the documents in the case by the investigating officer.
"Case now put up for arguments on framing of charges on November 30," the court said.
The court had earlier granted bail to former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, two senior public servants K S Kropha and K C Samria and businessman Director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal in the case.
The court had on July 31 issued summons to the accused after taking cognisance of CBI's final report for the alleged offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 420 (cheating) of IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Before this, the court had refused to accept the CBI's closure report filed in the case and directed it to further investigate the matter.
It had earlier noted that it was prima facie clear that officers of Ministry of Coal or the screening committee had acted in a manner which was "detrimental" to public interest and allowed JAS Infrastructure and Power Ltd, now known as JICPL, to "misappropriate" nationalised natural resources.
The agency had filed a closure report in the case in which it had lodged an FIR against JAS Infrastructure and Power Ltd, Manoj Jayaswal and others for alleged irregularities by the firm in acquiring the Mahuagarhi coal block in Jharkhand.
The FIR was lodged on the allegation that the company had not disclosed to the Ministry that it was already in possession of coal block.