Delhi High Court to hear government's contempt plea against Naveen Jindal on May 7

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court will on May 7 hear the government’s plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against industrialist Naveen Jindal and one of his former employees who was caught recording court proceedings during a coal block allocation matter relating to his company. The court will also hear on that day cases filed by Jindal Power and Bharat Aluminium Company challenging government’s decision to reject successful bids during coal auction.

Abench of justices BD Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva while agreeing to hear the matter also demanded an unconditional apology from the employee, Rajesh Sharma, who was a General Manager in Jindal Power .In its application, the government has alleged Sharma was standing behind coal ministry officials in the court and possibly recording confidential information. The application said Jindal was a “silent spectator” when Sharma was caught and concealed the fact that Sharma worked for him. The court has postponed the matter relating to rejection of bids by the government for hearing on May 7 till when Coal India will continue to be the custodian for two operational coal mines, sources said.

The high court on Monday reserved its judgment on cases filed by Monnet Ispat and Jayaswal Neco challenging change of end use of coal blocks from the earlier steel sector to power sector. Jindal Power filed a fresh case on Monday in the Delhi High Court against Coal India's proposal to takeover its washeries and evacuation infrastructure related to Gare Palma mines that it owned before Supreme Court's cancellation verdict.