Petroleum ministry said on Tuesday government lawyer had not been authorised to comment on conclusion of NTPC's gas deal with RIL [Get Quote], but the counsel said he only stuck to official instructions while arguing in the RIL-RNRL dispute in the Bombay high court.

Though Petroleum Minister Murli Deora declined to comment on the argument by senior advocate T S Doabia in the court last week that could impact National Thermal Power [Get Quote] Corporation's case against Reliance Industries, his aide asserted that the government lawyer was not given any such instructions.

Appearing for the petroleum ministry in the gas dispute between Mukesh Ambani-run RIL and his younger brother Anil-run Reliance Natural Resources [Get Quote], Doabia had reportedly stated that NTPC had not concluded any contract with RIL to buy gas from D6 block at $2.34 per million British thermal unit.

"There is no question of trying to weaken the case of a public sector company. His statement was clearly not part of his brief on the case," Deora's aide said.

Doabia, on the other hand wrote to the petroleum ministry on August 23, saying that 'the stand which was taken was so taken on the instructions of officials of your ministry.'

Doabia refused to comment on his letter addressed to a joint secretary in the ministry, saying: "These are privileged communication between the client and his lawyer."

The NTPC-RIL deal is at the core of the dispute between the two brothers, with younger brother claiming a minimum of 18 million standard cubic meters per day of gas from D6 at the $2.34 per mmBtu price bid by RIL in a NTPC tender in 2004.