OilMin conveys its stand on RIL-NTPC contract to PMO

In a new twist to the row over NTPC’s gas contract with Reliance Industries, Oil Ministry is understood to have informed the Prime Minister’s Office that its counsel has retracted the earlier statement that said the contract was not concluded.

The reported statement made before the Bombay High Court by Justice (Retd) T S Doabia, the senior counsel representing GoI, that there was no concluded contract between NTPC and RIL was not authorised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and it was neither part of his brief provided by the ministry nor written submissions made by the government, ministry is understood to have said in a letter to the PMO.

The PMO had sought comments from the petroleum ministry on issues raised by former Member of Parliament Dipankar Mukherjee.

However, the lawyers for Anil Ambani-led Reliance Natural and Resources Limited Mualla and Mualla said they have not received any notice of mention from the Bombay High Court. As a matter of procedure, any mention made in the Court between two dates of hearing can only happen upon the concerned parties being given a notice.