SAIL: Soma’s stay delaying the justice process
Some cases are filed in the courts to get justice for oneself; some are filed to delay the state’s action against oneself and some for delaying the justice for others
Great buzz of optimism in the air that hindrance in the path of justice may get clear on July 23, 2026
Terrified by the consequences of her illegal acts, as Chairman SAIL, the corruption complaints which were buried by Soma Mondal in Nov 2022, when they were brought to her notice by the Whistle Blower Rajeev Bhatia, came back in Jan 2024 to haunt her.
On January 10, 2024, LOKPAL handed over the complaints to CBI for detailed investigation and to unearth the possible connivance and conspiracy between SAIL officials and the private firms who benefited from the illegal nefarious acts of SAIL officials. Even highly paid legal eagles who received Rs 70 lakhs from SAIL’s exchequer could not save alleged SAIL officials from the CBI investigations.
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/sail-state-funds-used-to-defend-corrupt-officials-in-court
Regarding the above order, Soma again reached the doorsteps of LOKPAL through a petition seeking clarification on LOKPAL’s order dated Jan 10, 2024. After hearing the matter, LOKPAL observed that a faint attempt has been made by the petitioner to call upon LOKPAL to review the Final Judgment dated Jan 10, 2024 on the specious ground that opportunity of seeking comments as contemplated in sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the Act of 2013 had not been afforded. The petition was dismissed on July 16, 2024 stating that the petitioner attempted to seek review of the order under the grab of "seeking clarification". As such, there is no scope for clarification.
By now, she had superannuated from SAIL and had managed to get the post of Member, PESB.
In the meanwhile, Soma had approached the Delhi High Court challenging the final judgment dated Jan 10, 2024 of the LOKPAL.
In addition to Soma Mondal, the other alleged officer of SAIL in the order dated January 10, 2024 of the LOKPAL, Mahesh Chand Agarwal had also approached the Delhi High Court vide W.P.(C) 753/2024, CM APPL. 3295/2024, CM APPL. 47160/2024 & CM APPL. 62978/2024. Unlike Soma, he could not secure any kind of stay on the CBI investigations.
In the matter of Agarwal, during the last hearing held on May 05, 2026 before the Honourable Justice P K Kaurav of the Delhi High Court, the Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Lokpal presented five procedural orders of the Lokpal of India.
The procedural order dated Apr 06, 2026 of Lokpal of India placed by its counsel indicated that certain difficulties are being observed in deciding cases owing to the pendency of the Soma’s petition bearing W.P. (C) 10247/2024 before the Court and the stay is operating in her favour in complaint no 74 of 2023 [pertaining to supplies to Avon Steel Industries P Ltd]. LOKPAL’s counsel also stated before Honourable Justice that her name also appears in other complaints.
Although the learned counsel appearing on behalf of Agarwal submitted that the present case of Mahesh Chand Agarwal has no bearing with W.P.(C) 10247/2024 i.e. the petition of Soma Mondal, Honourable Justice deems it appropriate to direct for listing of Agarwal’s petition on the same date when the Soma’ petition is listed i.e. on July 23, 2026.
Soma’s stay boon for others
After the LOKPAL order dated Jan 10, 2024, 29 officers were suspended which did not include Soma and Agarwal, as they had superannuated from SAIL by then. At the time of suspension, officers used to say that bigger fishes have escaped.
However, as the time passed, the same officers started thanking Soma’s stay order due to which the entire process of reaching the conclusion by LOKPAL has delayed giving a golden opportunity to them to enjoy prime, lucrative and sensitive positions for extended periods. Though principles of ethics, morality and rectitude demand that SAIL management should have not positioned the officers who are under the shadow of CBI/LOKPAL investigation, on such positions, but nowadays such traits are hard to find.
It has been gathered that now there is great buzz of optimism in the air that the hindrance in the path of justice would get clear on July 23, 2026 as that matter has already been inordinately delayed. Moreover, as the government has denied extension to her as Member PESB, now she is an ordinary person with reduced influence on the system.
Editor’s Take
Some cases are filed in the courts to get justice for oneself; some are filed to delay the state’s action against oneself and some for delaying the justice for others.
Anti-corruption investigations are generally treated with high priority by the judiciary to prevent unnecessary delays at the threshold. While a High Court has the power to stay a CBI probe in writ jurisdiction, the Supreme Court of India has previously cautioned courts against routinely stalling corruption investigations at the initial stages, to prevent frustrating the primary objective of the Lokpal Act. Courts should exercise their power of staying CBI investigations sparingly, cautiously and in exceptional situations.
Even after the Lokpal order dated Jan 10, 2024, about 1,25,000 T of steel has been sold to FAKE Projects. Had the process of CBI investigations and Lokpal’s conclusion based on these investigations not been delayed by the Soma’s stay order, these sales could have been controlled resulting in big savings for SAIL.
If someone would say that the above was the responsibility of the SAIL management irrespective of the completion of investigation process and Lokpal’s conclusion, then we could not agree more. However, we have already witnessed the compromised mindset and behaviour of the senior management of SAIL, when over 4,50,000 T of steel has been sold to numerous FAKE Projects even after the receipt of complaint on sales to Venkatesh Infra Projects P Ltd [A Fake Project] i.e. between Nov 2022 to Dec 2023.
Must Read:
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/extension-to-soma-mondal-as-member-pesb-declined
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/soma-mondal-will-she-get-another-term-as-member-pesb
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/sail-project-scam-a-syndicate-of-connivances
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/is-sale-of-300000-tonne-responsible-for-exit-of-cmd-sail
[The above article has been written based on extensive research and inputs from various sources including sources from SAIL.]
