The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and the Union Government to cooperate in the investigation into an alleged collusion between Mr. Ambani, politicians and bureaucrats in fixing gas prices extracted from the Krishna-Godavari basin.

The case was lodged on a private complaint by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi Government under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act during the Aam Aadmi Party regime this past February.

Justice Manmohan passed the order while issuing notices to the Delhi Government and the ACB on two separate petitions filed by the RIL and the Centre seeking quashing of the case. The Court asked them to file replies to the petitions by August 1, the next date of hearing

Mr. Ambani, former Petroleum Ministers M. Veerappa Moily and Murli Deora, and former Director-General of Hydrocarbons V.K. Sibal are mentioned in the FIR as accused. They are facing probe under Section 13 (1) (C) and (D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the complainants in the case – former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, former Navy Chief Admiral R.H. Tahiliani, eminent lawyer Kamini Jaiswal and former Union Secretary E.A.S. Sarma – sought their impleadment in the petitions for quashing of the FIR. The Court sought the response of the Centre and the RIL to this application by the next date of hearing.

The hearing also saw expression of strong displeasure by Justice Manmohan when counsel for the Delhi Government raised objections to listing of the two criminal petitions in his court for hearing.

Justice Manmohan has been assigned to hear ‘Civil Writ Petitions (Misc.) including those involving Statutory Authorities, Government of India, GNCTD, DTC, Urban Arts Commission, Airports Authority of India, etc. Civil Writ Petitions (Education)’. Cases were listed by the Registry, not by Judges, Justice Manmohan said. Observing that the majesty of the court should be maintained, he said he could summon the Lieutenant-Governor asking him to put this submission (allegation) in an affidavit.

The Centre and the RIL have challenged the FIR on the ground of jurisdiction of the Delhi Government’s anti-corruption agency’s jurisdiction to probe, saying that it has jurisdiction only in respect of corruption cases against the officers of the Delhi administration.

The case was lodged on a private complaint by the Anti-Corruption Branch during the Aam Aadmi Party regime