In a major relief to petroleum minister Veerappa Moily and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, the Delhi High Court on Friday restrained the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government from taking any coercive action in furtherance of an FIR filed against them by the Delhi government in February.
The FIR registered by the ACB under the direction of then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleges that Moily, Ambani, along with former petroleum minister Murli Deora and former DG of Hydrocarbons VK Sibal, had conspired to inflate gas prices.
The Centre on Thursday had filed a petition before the HC, seeking to quash the FIR and restrain the ACB from proceeding.
The high court, however, refused to stay the investigations being carried out by the anti-graft agency but directed that no charge-sheet will be filed in respect of the FIR. The court has also sought reply from the Delhi government and has slated the matter for further hearing on May 20.
On May 2, RIL had also moved the Delhi High Court pleading that the said FIR should be quashed on the ground that it was merely ?political gimmickry?. After considering their arguments the court had put the Reliance plea also for further hearing on May 20.
During proceedings, solicitor genral Mohan Parasaran argued that anti-graft agency of the Delhi government has no powers or jurisdcition to investigate the subject matter of gas-pricing since the Constitution of India does not provide any such powers to the state government.