Coal block case: Court to consider CBI’s closure report on December 16

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) A special court hearing the coal block case involving industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others here on Friday fixed Dec 16 as the date to consider the CBI’s closure report.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar on Friday posted the matter for December 16.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had booked Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh, and others on charges of criminal conspiracy and corruption in the coal blocks’ allocation in October 2013.

But the central investigating agency filed a closure report in the case Aug 28, saying: "The evidence collected during investigations did not substantiate the allegations levelled against the people named in the FIR (first information report)."

The court, earlier, sought to know on what basis did the CBI draw its conclusion to close the case and what kind of investigation it has conducted.

The court also sought clarifications from the CBI whether an element of criminality was involved in allocating the coal blocks to the Birla-promoted Hindalco firm.

Special public prosecutor R.S. Cheema, in the last month’s hearing, had told the court that it could take cognizance of the CBI’s closure report filed Oct 21 as there was no prima facie "evidence against the accused to show their involvement".