Closure Report Accepted in Nippon Denro Ispat Coal Block Case

A Rouse Avenue court has accepted the CBI's closure report in the Nippon Denro Ispat Ltd coal block case, dismissing protest petitions from Congress leaders Sandeep Dikshit and Manickam Tagore. The court found no evidence of criminal conspiracy or cheating in the allocation of coal blocks from 1993 to 2004.

The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday accepted a closure report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Nippon Denro Ispat Ltd coal block case. Opposition by former MP Sandeep Dikshit and MP Manickam Tagore through protest petitions was overruled, as the court declared the report acceptable and dismissed the objections.

Special CBI judge Virender Kumar Kharta pronounced the decision, stating, 'Closure report accepted.' A detailed judgment copy will be forthcoming. The CBI was represented by Additional Legal Advisor Sanjay Kumar, with petitioners' counsel attending both in person and via video conferencing.

The case's origin traces back to complaints from seven MPs in 2012 concerning alleged irregularities in coal block allocations from 1993 to 2004. The CBI's report concluded no criminal activity occurred by public or private sectors, including Nippon Denro Ispat Limited, now absorbed by JSW Steel Limited.