The following is the letter written by Tapan Sen, CITU general secretary and MP to Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas on August 20, 2014 I like to draw your pointed attention to the shocking news-item published in the Hindustan Times (Delhi edition) dated August 19, 2014 that the ministry of petroleum & natural gas, government of India has, in an affidavit filed in Delhi High Court, pleaded for rejecting the petition filed by its own Maharatna Company, ONGC complaining illegitimate drawl of natural gas worth thousands of crores of rupees from the ONGC’s block in KG basin by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) through its well, located adjoining to the block of ONGC, terming the complaint of ONGC as “frivolous.” ONGC is one of the pioneer institutions in the country in the exploration of gas and oil and their complaints must be based on their techno-geophysical findings. My simple query is that on what basis the MoP&NG did conclusively arrive at the conclusion that ONGC’s complaint is “frivolous allegation”? Does such conclusion have requisite support of similar techno-geophysical examination? If so by which agency? The ministry’s observations that ONGC “woke up from slumber only in July 2013” or ONGC “was never vigilant and mindful of its rights” are not wholly correct. In fact, geological and geophysical data of all the relevant blocks KG-DWN-98/3, and G-4 Godavari and KG-DWN-98/2 blocks are being regularly supplied and appraised to the ministry and the DGH since long. Even if we assume for arguments’ sake, ONGC delayed in making such complaints or it remained negligent or was not alert enough on its rights etc, but such delay or negligence, if there be any, cannot justify such illegitimate, unauthorised and stealthy drawl of natural gas from ONGC’s field by the private operator operating in the adjoining area. I had already brought the entire matter to your attention vide my letter dated June 12, 2014 urging upon you to take appropriate measures to defend the interests of the government exchequer and the commercial rights of ONGC in the instant case. Unfortunately, the government has taken a stride in opposite direction in favour of the private contractor/operator. The complaints of ONGC pertain to theft of natural gas under the domain of the government owned company and it should be dealt in public interest only through proper scientific examination/scrutiny of the complaint by an independent competent expert agency and before any such examination of the veracity of the complaint, any pleading for rejection of the complaint-petition itself tantamounts to unduly guarding the probable offender or indulgence to the offence at the cost of national interests. I believe, you will appreciate the revealing impropriety in the stance of government of India, or in that matter of MoP&NG in the instant case reflecting undue bias in favour of the “charged” without verifying the veracity of the charges by a competent agency. I request you to please review the stand taken by the ministry in this regard as reflected in its affidavit before Delhi High Court in the instant case. Rather, along with judicial examination of the complaints of the ONGC, the ministry should also get the complaints examined by an independent expert agency to ascertain the truth instead of pleading for rejection of ONGC’s petition. I urge upon you to please intervene appropriately in that direction in the interests of all concerned.