New Delhi, June 2 (IANS): A special court here on Tuesday fixed July 17 for beginning the recording of statement of prosecution witnesses in the coal block allocation case against Delhi-based Rathi Steel and Power Ltd. (RSPL) and others.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar posted the matter for July 17 for recording the statement of the prosecution witnesses in the case and directed the probe agency to submit the list of witnesses whom it wants to examine so that summons can be issued to them.

The public prosecutor told court that he will submit the list of witnesses by July 1.

The court last month framed charges of cheating against RSPL and its CEO Udit Rathi. It also framed charges of criminal conspiracy against Rathi, RSPL and managing director Pradeep Rathi and assistant general manager Kushal Aggarwal.

All the accused had pleaded not guilty and asked for a trial. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has charge sheeted the company, its CEO and two officials for illegal allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh to RSPL.

The CBI registered an FIR against the company and its CEO on June 19, 2013.