New Delhi: The CBI has accused V K Sibal of colluding with private parties during his term as oil regulator and has sought government permission for a thorough investigation.
CBI, which was asked by the Central Vigilance Commission
(CVC) to do a "discreet" ground verification of allegations of
Sibal's nexus with private oil and gas operators, in its
preliminary report, alleged "gross abuse and misuse of public
office by Sibal," sources in the know said.
The preliminary report also talked of his "nexus with
private parties" and his "obtaining pecuniary advantage in
award of contracts and supply of information of sensitive data
of resources."
However, neither the CVC nor the CBI have said anything
on the allegations of his seeking favours from RIL in lieu of
approving higher capital expenditure at Mukesh Ambani-run
firm's Krishna Godavari basin gas field.
CVC last month sought CBI help when its clearance was
sought for giving an extension of service to Sibal as Director
General of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons.
Sibal's term at the DGH ended on October 31.
Sources said the anti-corruption body's report stated
that prima facie a "vigilance angle" has been established in
certain cases of extension of contracts by Sibal. Also, the
process followed in levying liquidated damages on companies
for not fulfilling exploration commitments was found arbitrary
and so was the award of contracts for speculative surveys.
The sources said based on the findings, Sibal was denied
an extension of service.
Sibal subsequently joined his parent firm OIL on October
31. He was General Manager in OIL when he was appointed DG,
DGH in 2004 and has since rejoined in the same grade.
As OIL had rejected his earlier application for VRS on
the grounds that he has to be working with the company to make
the request, Sibal applied afresh for VRS after joining back.
However, even this application was kept in abeyance
pending completion of vigilance probe. This prompted Sibal to
go on long leave, sources said.
S K Srivastava, Director (Operations) at OIL and former
deputy Director General of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons
(DGH) has already taken additional charge as head of DGH till
April 30, 2010.
Despite repeated attempts, Sibal could not be reached for
comments.
Charges of conflict of interest were levelled against him
as the DGH office in Noida on the outskirts of the national
capital was rented from a company that was a contractor for
DGH. Also he lived in a rented house owned by a firm that
subsequently was awarded oil blocks.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, November 04, 2009, 17:32