Charge sheet filed against 13 in documents leak case

Delhi Police on Saturday filed in a court here a charge sheet against 13 accused in the petroleum ministry documents leak case.

The charge sheet was filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain, who marked it for consideration before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal for Monday.

Police have formally charged 13 accused under various sections dealing with cheating, forgery, trespass, theft, common intent and criminal conspiracy. According to sources, provisions of the stringent Official Secrets Act have not been invoked against the accused but further investigation is on.

Police have cited 42 prosecution witnesses in their 44-page charge sheet. Delhi Police also registered a first information report for the leak of classified documents related to various ministries, including of petroleum and natural gas, on February 17.

Five corporate executives are among the accused in the case. They are RIl corporate affairs manager Shailesh Saxena, Jubilant Energy senior executive Subash Chandra, Essar deputy general manager Vinay Kumar, Reliance ADAG deputy general manager Rishi Anand, and Cairns India general manager K.K. Naik. 

Former journalist Santanu Saikia, who now runs a web portal, and Prayas Jain, a Melbourne-based energy consultant, were also booked by Delhi Police in the case. The other accused are lalta Prasad, 36, and Rakesh Kumar, 30 -- both brothers and residents of Delhi, Rajkumar Chaubey, 39, a resident of Ghaziabad, government employees Asharam, 58, and Ishwar Singh, 56 and Virender Kumar, employed as a casual worker in the defence ministry.

All accused are under judicial custody till April 20.