Coalscam: Court pulls up CBI for not filing complete documents

New Delhi: A special court on Wednesday pulled up the CBI for not filing complete set of documents with the final report in a coal scam case in which former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and seven other accused have been put on trial. "What is this happening? In every case, these issues crop up. Why do you not file the entire documents at one go with the charge sheet," said Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar.

The court's observation came after Senior Public Prosecutor V K Sharma said they will file an application to add names of some formal witnesses and also file some documents which were not placed on record earlier. The judge asked the Investigating Officer (IO) Vijai Chettiar as to why this is happening in every case. "Do you take decision on your own or you consult others to decide which documents you should file in the court," the judge asked.

The IO then said, "I thought these documents were not relied upon. I had consulted my senior officials and also the law officers in this regard". Senior advocate N Hariharan appearing for Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL) director Vaibhav Tulsyan and chartered accountant Navin Kumar Tulsyan objected to the agency's submission and said, "this cannot be allowed ... CBI cannot do such piecemeal work, otherwise it would be a never-endingm process."

The prosecutor then said that he will file an application giving all the details. The court fixed the matter for recording of further prosecution evidence on November 17. Besides Koda, Gupta and Tulsyans the court had also framed charges against former Jharkhand Chief Secretary Ashok Kumar Basu, two public servants -- Basant Kumar Bhattacharya and Bipin Bihari Singh -- VISUL, Koda's alleged close aide Vijay Joshi in the case.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Rajhara North (Central and Eastern) coal block in Jharkhand to VISUL. The court had framed charges against these nine accused for alleged offences punishable under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.