CCL transfer case: HC seeks explanation from Minister

Three days after the Jharkhand High Court ordered issuance of a notice against Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahai

Three days after the Jharkhand High Court ordered issuance of a notice against Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahai seeking an explanation from him over the transfer of Central Coalfields Limited CCL officer Hitesh Verma to the Northern Coalfields Ltd, Sahai said, 8220;I am going to submit the affidavit in the court soon.8221;

Staying the CCL8217;s notification transferring Verma to NCL8217;s unit in Assam, Justice R K Merathia said, 8220;His transfer has been stayed till further orders.8221; Hitesh allegedly killed his wife Sanjana for dowry. Sanjana8217;s parents alleged, 8220;He often tortured her for dowry.8221; Sanjana reportedly died while being taken from CCL Hospital to Apollo Hospital on October 14, 2004. Subsequently, Sanjana8217;s father, P C Verma, lodged an FIR at the Argora Police Station alleging that Hitesh led to Sanjana8217;s death. In the FIR, he claimed, 8220;While she was being taken to Apollo, Hitesh, who accompanied her in the ambulance, removed the oxygen pipe, which ultimately led to Sanjana8217;s death.8221;

The police investigated the case and filed a chargesheet against Hitesh under Section 302 murder and 304-B dowry.

Later, Hitesh was arrested and remanded to judicial custody. He remained in jail from October 26, 2004 to December 11, 2005, when the Jharkhand High Court released him on bail. Around the same time, he was placed under suspension, which was revoked on December 29, 2005. On October 16, 2006 he was transferred from CCL to NCL.

Meanwhile, Hitesh8217;s mother Saroj Bala filed a petition questioning the validity of the transfer order issued by the CCL on October 16, 2006.

In her petition, she enclosed a report from the Union Ministry of Coal, which she obtained through the Right to Information RTI Act. The report indicated that Hitesh8217;s transfer was decided based on Sahai8217;s 8220;recommendation8221;.

Apparently, Sahai is related to the family and is Sanjana8217;s uncle. Petitioner counsel Rajiv Ranjan argued in the court, 8220;This proves that Sahai had a personal grudge against him. He had implicated him in false cases of murder, dowry and kidnapping.8221;