A special court here hearing coal block case involving industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others Thursday fixed Dec 12 to consider the closure report filed by the CBI in the case.Special Judge Bharat Parashar posted the matter for Dec 12. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh and others on charges of criminal conspiracy and corruption in the allocation of coal blocks in October 2013.But it 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 the CBI drew 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.Special public prosecutor R.S. Cheema, in the last hearing, told the court that it can 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".Meanwhile, the CBI submitted the case diary and crime file in a sealed cover in the court.