Coalgate: Supreme Court appoints Special Judge, SPP for coalgate

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today appointed Additional Sessions Judge Bharat Parashar to preside over the Special Court set up for exclusively holding trial in cases of coal block allocation scam and named senior advocate R S Cheema as Special Public Prosecutor to conduct prosecution of thw high and mighty allegedly involved in it.

The apex court directed competent authorities to come out with the notifications within two weeks on appointment of the Special Judge and Special Public Prosecutor ( SPP) and ordered trial of the cases on a day-to-day basis with a direction that no other courts other than the apex court would entertain or intervene in the matters arising out of coalgate.

"We, accordingly direct competent authorities to issue requisite notifications appointing Bharat Parashar, officer of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service as Special Judge to exclusively try the cases pertaining to coal block allocation registered under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and other allied offences.

"Notifications shall be issued within two weeks from date of communication of this order," a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha said.

"In continuation, we also order that R S Cheema, senior advocate, shall be appointed as the SPP by the Government to conduct prosecution of offences pertaining to coal block allocation on behalf of CBI and Enforcement Directorate," the bench, also comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, said in the order.

It said on such appointment, the Chandigarh-based noted criminal lawyer, will have access to all materials and documents relating to investigations for his opinion and assistance to the special court in view of the high magnitude and compass of the case and he will be free to have his own team of lawyers to assist him.

The bench said, "all cases (arising out of coal block allocation scam) pending before different courts shall be transferred to the court of the special judge".

In today's hearing, the apex court also allowed the CBI to approach the Chief Vigilance Commission relating to one report of two Vigilance Commissioners, which according to the agency, was creating some difficulty.

The bench said the CBI can go to the CVC with the documents pertaining to one case in which it has given the report on July 2.