The Coal Ministry has approached the Delhi High Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against Naveen Jindal and another employee of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd for unauthorised video recording of court proceedings.
The matter is expected to be heard by the Delhi High Court on Monday.
Official sources said that Rajesh Sharma, General Manager at Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, was caught taking photographs and recording the confidential files being shown to the Delhi High Court by the lawyers of the Coal Ministry in an ongoing case.
Jindal Power Ltd and its Chairman, Naveen Jindal, had filed a petition against the Coal Ministry decision to annul the bid of the company for Gare Palma IV/2&3. It was during these proceedings on March 27 that Sharma was caught, a senior Government official said.
While Sharma first denied he was working for JSPL, it was his profile on Linkedin.com — a professional networking site that revealed where he was working. Sources said Sharma was found without a valid gate pass and somehow managed to enter the court without it.
“Naveen Jindal, who was present in person in Court, chose to remain a silent spectator and chose not to inform the Court that Sharma is his employee,” the official said.
JSPL has been in a tussle with the Coal Ministry since its bid for Gare Palma IV/2&3 and Tara, both in Chhattisgarh, were rejected as outliers were found in the bidding pattern.