Delhi High Court to decide on August 11 the bench to hear RIL, Centre pleas

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today said it will decide on August 11 the bench that will hear RIL and the Centre's pleas against the city government's decision to lodge an FIR against two former Union ministers in connection with alleged irregularities in raising the price of gas from the company's KG6 basin.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher said the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court had marked to him the petitions of the Centre and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), which pertain to powers of Delhi government's Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) to proceed against central government employees.

However, since there was another matter pending before another bench where the Centre's notifications on ACB's powers have been challenged by Delhi government, he sent the two petitions back to the Chief Justice with a note on whether all three be heard together.

Justice Shakdher listed the two petitions for directions on August 11 when he will inform what the Chief Justice has decided.

The other matter pertaining to challenge of Centre's notifications by Delhi government is also slated to be heard on August 11 by Justice V P Vaish.

RIL and the Centre have challenged an FIR lodged by ACB against UPA ministers M Veerappa Moily and Murli Deora, RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani and others.

The Centre has sought quashing of the FIR on the ground that as per its notifications of July 23, 2014, and those issued thereafter, ACB does not have the power to proceed against central government officials.

The notifications have limited the ACB's powers to probe graft cases to the extent that it can investigate only city government officials and not those of the Centre.

The counsel for the Delhi and Central governments today told Justice Shakdher that these notifications have been substantially challenged and are pending before another bench.