Supreme Court to hear plea of RSPL in coal block allocation scam case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the plea of Delhi-based Rathi Steel and Power Limited (RSPL) and its three officials against framing of charges by a special CBI court in a coal block allocation case.

"An appropriate bench will hear it next week," a bench comprising Justices T S Thakur, V Gopala Gowda and R Banumathi said when lawyer D K Garg, appearing for the RSPL, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing.

The special court has recently framed charges against RSPL and its three officials - Managing Director Pradeep Rathi, Chief Executive Officer Udit Rathi and AGM Kushal Aggarwal, for alleged offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy and fixed the matter for initiation of recording of evidence.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh to RSPL.

The three individual accused were earlier granted bail after they had appeared before the court pursuant to summons.

CBI had lodged an FIR against RSPL, its directors, Udit Rathi and members of the 36th screening committee and other unnamed persons for the offences under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) of IPC and under Prevention of Corruption Act.

A charge sheet was later filed against RSPL and Udit Rathi only. Regarding other directors of RSPL or members of the 36th screening committee, CBI had said allegations against them could not be substantiated during the probe.