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Coalscam:CBI had put up disjointed facts, says PSMPL director

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Director of an accused firm Pushp Steels and Mining Pvt Ltd (PSMPL) in a coal scam case today alleged that CBI had put up disjointed facts to create a semblance of conspiracy which did not exist.

Advancing the arguments on framing of charges before a special court, Atul Jain director of PSMPL said that CBI in its charge sheet has relied on several documents which were disjointed and not related to each other.

"Disjointed facts have been put up by the CBI for creating a semblance of a conspiracy which did not exist," advocate R K Handoo appearing for Jain said.
 

He told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar that Madhya Pradesh government has given a dissent note after Brahmapuri coal block in the state was allocated to PSMPL.

The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow.

Earlier, Handoo,had told the court that cord of alleged meeting of minds between the accused was not supported by the facts given by CBI.

The CBI had on September 14 alleged that former Coal Secretary H C Gupta had played an "active role" in the conspiracy to allocate a coal block to accused firm PSMPL and violated the guidelines of Ministry of Coal.

The agency had claimed that the screening committee, headed by Gupta, had recommended allocation of Brahmapuri coal block in Madhya Pradesh to PSMPL despite the fact that the state government as well as Ministry of Steel had not recommended the firm for allocation of the block.

The court had earlier granted bail to Gupta and Jain.

It had summoned Gupta, PSMPL and Jain, as accused for their alleged involvement in the allocation of Brahmapuri coal block to the firm which resulted in loss.

CBI had filed its charge sheet in the case on May 20 for alleged offences under section 120-B(criminal conspiracy) read with section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the agency, PSMPL was allotted coal block on the recommendation by Screening Committee for its proposed Sponge Iron End Use Project in Durg district.

An FIR was lodged against the firm and others in April 2013 and CBI had alleged that PSMPL had misrepresented facts while applying for the coal block.

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First Published: Sep 28 2015 | 6:22 PM IST

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