Highlights
- A team of CBI reached the residence of Law minister Moloy Ghatak in Asansol
- A total of six locations were being raided across West Bengal
- The CBI had earlier filed chargesheets in connection with the matter against Grace Industries Ltd
Coal scam case: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted raids at six locations in West Bengal, in connection with the alleged coal scam case. Raids were also conducted at the residence of state Law minister Moloy Ghatak in Asansol.
Other than in Asansol, the raids were underway at five locations in Kolkata.
On September 20, 2012, the CBI registered a case in the matter under section - 120B r/w 420 IPC r/w 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Upon completion of the investigation, a chargesheet was filed by the CBI against Grace Industries Limited and Mukesh Gupta, director of the company in court on October 28, 2014.
The Court on August 10, 2015, took cognizance of the offences punishable under section - 120B r/w 409/420 IPC r/w 13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) and (d) of the PC Act, 1988 and substantive offences. Accordingly, summons were issued to the accused persons for their appearance before the Court.
During the course of the trial, a total of 34 witnesses had been examined by the prosecution/CBI to prove its case.
According to the CBI, allegations against the convicts M/s Grace Industries Ltd. and Mukesh Gupta during the period between the year 2005 to 2011 at New Delhi, Maharashtra and other places, in furtherance of the common object of the criminal conspiracy hatched with other co-accused persons i.e. HC Gupta, KS Kropha and cheated by Ministry of Coal, Government of India by dishonestly and fraudulently inducing the Ministry of Coal to allocate "Lohara East Coal Block" situated in the state of Maharashtra in favour of M/s GIL on the basis of false information about net worth, capacity, equipment and status of procurement and installation of the plant.
CBI also stated that the said, company in its application claimed its net worth as Rs.120 crores whereas its own networth was Rs 3.3 crores only the company falsified its existing capacity as 1,20,000 Third Party Administrator (TPA) against 30,000 TPA.
In an order dated August 25, 2014, the Supreme Court of India cancelled the entire allocation of coal blocks.
(With inputs from ANI)
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