Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar, currently hearing the coal block allocation scam case, on Monday came down heavily on the counsel of Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal for attempts on part of the accused to overreach him. The judge stated that this was not the first time that the accused had tried to contact him personally and warned of serious consequences if the action is repeated.
Slamming N Hariharan, the counsel for Jindal, the judge said, "Your advocates tried to overreach me, and this is the second time it is happening. I have warned earlier also and I am warning again."
The judge told the lawyers appearing for all the accused that it has "again happened" and he will mention it in the case record.
Responding to the judge, Hariharan apologised several times and maintained he was not aware of it and not a party to the actions of the particular accused.
Hariharan said Jindal's management will inquire into the matter and take strict action against those who tried to overreach the judge. "In my 23 years of career, I have never tried to overreach any judge for the accused," said Hariharan.
The special judge, however, went on to emphasize the seriousness of such actions. "I am very sorry to say that with such senior lawyers appearing in the case, I had not expected such a thing to happen," the judge said, without disclosing the identity of the accused who had approached him.
"If this matter is in your knowledge then it is serious in nature and if you are not aware then it becomes even more serious," he added.
The court fixed the next hearing for the scrutiny of charges on June 30.
Earlier, the court received complaints from a few accused that the CDs provided to them by CBI were were not functional.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand's Birbhum district in 2008 to Jindal Group firms – Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL).
Jindal and nine other accused, including former union minister Dasari Narayan Rao and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, were granted bail last month after the special court summoned them taking cognizance of a CBI chargesheet which claimed the industrialist had allegedly 'conspired' with Koda to recommend his two companies for allocation of coal blocks.
Jindal firm's version
A spokesperson for JSPL clarified, "Neither our company nor our management or any person associated with our company have attempted to influence the hon'ble court. We are law abiding citizens, having highest regard and respect for the judiciary. We have full faith in the judiciary and we are confident that we will come out clean during course of the trial, on merits of the case."
A spokesperson for JSPL clarified, "Neither our company nor our management or any person associated with our company have attempted to influence the hon'ble court. We are law abiding citizens, having highest regard and respect for the judiciary. We have full faith in the judiciary and we are confident that we will come out clean during course of the trial, on merits of the case."
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