Jindal Steel & Power Limitedresponse regardingforced land acquisition at open cast coal mine site in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India
15 July 2014
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Jindal Steel & Power Limitedto respond to the following item:
- Jindals acquire land in Raigarh through threats, coercion, Hakeem Irfan, Daily News & Analysis, 7 Jul 2014
In response, Jindal Steel & Power Limitedsent the following statement:
Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) is a responsible steel and power conglomerate that believes in transparency and conducting its business in a lawful, honest and ethical manner. We are a law abiding company and do not go around acquiring land in an irresponsible and forcible way as alleged in the story that appeared in DNA. The land for our operations in Chhattisgarh has been acquired as per the due process of law.
We would also like to point out that our operations in Chhattisgarh have requisite environmental and forest clearances and other necessary approvals form the concerned authorities. We reiterate that our company functions in a manner with due regard to the provisions of law including human rights.
To put the DNA article in the right perspective, it is important to bring to the notice of readers of the said article that DNA is part of Zee Media Corporation Ltd (Earlier known as Zee News Limited), TV channels of which have been used to extort Rs 100 crore from and defame JSPL and its management in the past and are still being used to defame JSPL and its management, regarding which various civil and criminal cases filed by JSPL are pending investigation and/or adjudication over the past two years and the aforesaid article as well as proposed publication of article on your web site is an act of grave prejudice of the Zee Group against JSPL and its management.
It is pertinent to mention that JSPL had filed a FIR in October 2012 with P.S. Crime Branch, Delhi Police against Zee News Ltd. and its management and editors / business heads for the offenses of criminal conspiracy and extortion to the tune of Rs 100 crore ( Rs 1 billion), in which the Police has already filed charge sheet for the offenses u/s 384/511, 420/511, 201 and 120B IPC against the chairman and two editors and business heads of Zee News Limited and further investigation is pending against them and other officials of Zee News Limited including Mr. Punit Goenka, Managing Director of DNA News Paper. During investigation, it has been clearly revealed that the management and editors / business heads of Zee group had brazenly and blatantly attempted to extortRs. 100 Crore in the name of advertisements (Rs. 60 Crore (0.60 billion) in the name of Zee News Limited and Rs. 40 Crore ( 0.40 billion) in the name of DNA newspaper, Mumbai) from, JSPL by putting it and its management in fear of injury to its mind, business and reputation by carrying negative propaganda against JSPL and its management on its various channels, which was recorded in audio – video form and which has been duly authenticated byCentral Forensic Science Laboratory(CFSL), New Delhi.
It is pertinent to mention further that finding sufficient evidences, two editors and business head of Zee News Limited were arrested and remained in custody for about 20 days in said FIR No 240.
Apart from above, another FIR No 12 dated 15.01.2013 for the offenses punishable under Section466/468/469/471/120B of the Indian Penal Code (‘IPC’), registered with PS Crime Branch, Delhi Police is also pending investigation against the management and editors and business heads of Zee News Limited for airing program “Media Ka Sauda” on 19thand 20thOctober 2012 on the basis of forged annexures to CAG Report.
While the matter remains in Court, the Zee Group continues in its efforts to malign the reputation of our Chairman and group companies by regularly airing/ publishing false, baseless and often manipulated reports about us, and the latest DNA report which you have cited is just another example of that
We hope that you will take these facts into consideration before publishing any story on your website.
Please find below some links of news based on the cases filed by JSPL against Zee Group: