New Delhi: Rathi Steel and Power Limited's (RSPL) Chief Executive Officer Udit Rathi, an accused in a coal blocks allocation scam case, was Thursday allowed to go to Iran for business purpose for a week by a special court.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar granted permission to Rathi and directed him neither to tamper with the evidence nor try to influence any witness in any manner.
The court allowed Rathi to travel to Iran from May 6 till May 13 in connection with his business activities after CBI submitted it has not objection if the proceedings in the case are not hampered.
CBI prosecutor V K Sharma said the agency has no objection if permission is granted to Rathi to travel abroad for a limited purpose subject to reasonable restrictions.
"Keeping in view the overall facts and circumstances of the case coupled with submissions made, accused No. 3, i.E. Udit Rathi is granted permission to travel to Islamic Republic of Iran from May 6 to May 13 with several conditions," the court said.
In the plea, Rathi had said that proceedings in the case would not be hampered in his absence as his counsel will remain present in the court.
The judge directed Rathi to inform the court and CBI's investigating officer when he returns to India.
The court also directed him to furnish complete itinerary of his journey including contact details.
The case has already fixed for May 7 for pronouncement of order on framing charges in the case.
Delhi-based RSPL and its three top officials - Managing Director Pradeep Rathi, CEO Udit Rathi and AGM Kushal Aggarwal - were earlier summoned as accused in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh to the firm for alleged offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC.
RSPL and its officials had earlier told the court that CBI has "miserably" failed to show that there was a loss to the government or anybody else due to the allocation of Chhattisgarh's coal block to it.
The defence counsel had said the accused firm has not extracted any coal from the Kesla north block and there was no wrongful gain or corresponding loss to anybody.
CBI, however, had countered their submissions saying RSPL and its officials had "misrepresented" facts before the screening committee regarding acquisition of 250 acres of land to bag the coal block.
The three accused were granted bail by the court after they had appeared before it.
CBI had chargesheeted RSPL and Udit Rathi only as an accused for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating. RSPL was allocated Kesla North coal block in Korba, Chhattisgarh on August 5, 2008.
The court had issued summons to the accused after taking cognisance of CBI's charge sheet while observing that they allegedly deceived the Coal Ministry by "misrepresenting" facts regarding possession of land which was a key factor in allocation of coal block.
It had noted that these officials had appeared before the screening committee for making a presentation and submitting a feedback form on February 7, 2008 on behalf of RSPL.
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 120-B, 420 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.
