Advocate General Ajit Kumar on Wednesday refuted the charges raised against him by State Congress chief in connection with the Shah Brothers case saying he tried his best to get maximum benefit for the State from the court.
While speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, the AG claimed the congress State president Dr Ajoy Kumar must study the case minutely to understand it properly. “I think he is also prejudiced in his evaluation,” he claimed.
TheAG said the allegation that the then Mines Secretary UP Singh had also raised doubts against his performance in court the AG said, “The CM had ordered an inquiry on the issue. The secretary had later accepted in the proceeding that he had no intention to pass remarks against me as portrayed in the media”.
Regarding revision of demand by the State he said it was done on basis of various methodologies in which several factors including interest rates and the existing market rate were not taken into account. The demand made from other companies was also revised in this regard.
The AG said that the State Government had also framed a policy stating that if there was any dispute related to computation of the amount, the affected company could take up the matter before a committee appointed by the government. The state however stated that the mining companies have to deposit at least the admitted amount with the government.
He added in the beginning of the current year the court however issued interim order for part payment of the admitted amount by different organisations including Usha Mining, HINDALCO and SAIL while ordering the State to issue mining challans.
He added the amount determined by the State is tentative and not permanent as much depends on the final order of the Court.
He said during the hearing, Shah Brothers came up with a proposal to pay full amount with the condition that they would pay 33 per cent of the demand within a month and the rest amount in installments.
The AG said as the company was paying the entire amount he accepted it on behalf of the government.