Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday said it has registered a criminal case against former director general of hydrocarbons V.K. Sibal and others for extending undue favours to a private company, an official said Friday.

“It is alleged that officials of DGH had given undue favours to a private company in speculative seismic survey in lieu of personal favours obtained from representatives of a private company,” the CBI said in a statement.

Due to limited resources with the government, these surveys are given to both domestic and foreign firms to explore and develop oil and gas fields in the areas with potential hydrocarbon reserves.

The agency did not name the private firm to which undue favours were allegedly granted.

According to the investigative agency, a contract was given to the company in 2005 for conducting seismic speculative survey on nomination basis at an exorbitant cost which caused huge financial loss to the government.

According to the agency, searches were conducted at Sibal’s homes and office in Delhi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai. Further searches were on.

“We have recovered documents relating to immovable and movable property belonging to the accused and other incriminating documents,” a CBI official said. The directorate is the technical arm of the petroleum ministry regulating licences to private operators.