Coal scam: Birla summoned, Hindalco says will defend case via legal process

New Delhi: Aditya Birla group flagship firm Hindalco today said it would defend its case through “legal process” after studying order of the special court, which summoned its chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, among others as accused in a coal scam case pertaining to allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha in 2005.

“Hindalco reiterates that none of its officials, including its Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, have pursued any unlawful or inappropriate means for securing the allocation of the coal block,” the company said in a statement.

It further said that Hindalco would study the order of the court in detail “and would defend its case through legal process”.

Stating that the company has “cooperated with investigating authorities completely during the course of investigation since October 2013, the company’s management is confident that it will stand vindicated at the end of the ongoing legal process”.

“The company had represented its case to the concerned authorities in a transparent and lawful manner, following which it was allocated a 15 per cent share in the combined Talabira-II and III coal block in November 2005, in a JV with Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and Neyvili Lignite Corporation, both public sector undertakings with an 85 per cent stake,” it said.

The coal block was deallocated in 2014.

Aditya Aluminium Project, for which this allocation was made, has been implemented by the company at an investment of over Rs 13,000 crore in Odisha.

“The plant is already operational even though Talabira-II & III coal block could not become operational for want of clearances. Consequently, Hindalco is having to suffer irrecoverable financial stress,” the company said.

PTI