Urgent hearing plea of Jindal rejected by Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today refused to accord urgent hearing to a plea of industrialist Naveen Jindal, an accused in a coal scam case, seeking a stay on a special court order asking CBI to probe further the matter in view of a statement of an accused that he wanted to become an approver.

A vacation bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy did not agree with the submission of senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Jindal, that the matter be heard urgently.

The special court had recently allowed the probe agency to investigate the matter further in pursuance of the application filed by chartered accountant Suresh Singhal, who is also an accused in the case, that he be pardoned and made an approver.

Singhvi told the apex court that CBI cannot move the trial court for the nod for probe further.

Meanwhile, CBI, during the day, told the special court here that it has no objection if the court allows Singhal to be made an approver and be pardoned.

Jindal, former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao, ex-Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and 12 others are accused in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and GSIPL in 2008.