Coalscam: Court allows CBI to question accused in Jindal's case

NEW DELHI: A special court today allowed CBI's plea to question a Jindal group's chartered accountant, who is an accused and has sought to turn approver in a coal scam case involving industrialist Naveen Jindal and others.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar allowed the agency's plea and directed it to further investigate the matter.

"I am directing the CBI for further investigation... Put up the matter for hearing on May 30," the court said.

In its plea, the probe agency had submitted that before answering to the application of accused Suresh Singhal for pardon, it wanted to interrogate him to decide whether his assistance can strengthen the case.

The advocate appearing for Singhal as amicus curiae, had told the court that the accused was in possession of various documents and could produce them as and when required.

Earlier on May 11, the court had said that Singhal's statement be supplied to the CBI for rendering assistance on the issue. Following this, the documents were supplied to the probe agency.

The court had, however, clarified that issue of supplying the copy of Singhal's statement to the counsel representing other accused would be decided after hearing the arguments advanced by the probe agency.

While seeking pardon, Singhal had sought to make a disclosure statement in the case which was later recorded by a magistrate and was placed before the special judge in a sealed cover.

On April 29, the court had ordered framing of charges against Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and 12 others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and other offences in Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation scam case.

The court is yet to formally frame charges against the accused.