New Delhi: A Delhi court has ordered framing of charges against a senior official in the Ministry of Petroleum for allegedly conniving with dealers in selling adulterated petroleum products, saying there was prima facie evidence that he had abused his official position.
Besides Uday Shankar, Joint Director (Investigation), Anti-adulteration Cell in the Ministry of Petroleum, the court will also frame charges against his associate Sanjeev Kumar and Naveen Jain who was acting as a conduit and businessman S K Gupta.
The court said there was evidence to show that a conspiracy was hatched between the accused to sell adulterated petroleum products for which the officer received illegal gratification of Rs seven lakh.
"It appears that all the accused persons have entered into a criminal conspiracy to do an illegal act.
"The record also reveals that accused Uday being a public servant has demanded illegal gratification in respect of an official act from accused Gupta, or in the alternative, he has demanded and attempted to obtain a sum of Rs seven lakh...," Special CBI Judge Rakesh Syal said while fixing August 9 to frame the charges against them.
CBI alleged Gupta used to deal with naptha, which were being illegally diverted for adulteration of petrol and the officer did not take any action.
The court will formally frame charges for the offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and corruption against all of them.
PTI
