ASG Tankha to appear in HC in case against Essar Steel

New Delhi : New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) The Law Ministry has asked Additional Solicitor General Vivek Tankha to appear on behalf of the government in an ongoing case against Essar Steel in the Delhi High Court after the Petroleum Ministry charged another senior law officer with misrepresenting its case. So far Additional Solicitor General A S Chandiok was representing the Petroleum Ministry in the case. But the Petroleum Ministry in a recent letter to the Law Ministry claimed that Chandiok took a stand against its instructions. It said that the ASG's stand was also against the affidavit filed by the Petroleum Ministry before the High Court. Chandiok had reportedly told the court that an Empowered Group of Ministers will file an affidavit before it. The Petroleum Ministry also protested the delay on the part of Chandiok in informing about the court's decision. While the court had passed orders on June 3, the ASG intimated it to the ministry on July 1. Essar Steel had approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Petroleum Ministry's move to reduce the supply of natural gas from the Reliance KG-D6 fields to non-core sectors. It had maintained that if gas supply was reduced, the company would face hardships.