LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) - Kazakh miner ENRC saidon Friday it had filed a legal claim against former board memberPaul Judge and is seeking unspecified damages, accusing him ofleaking confidential information to the media.
London-listed ENRC - in the throes of a buyout by a trio ofco-founders that will end five turbulent years as a publiccompany - has been plagued by bitter boardroom battles,whistleblower allegations of graft and, since April, an officialprobe into claims of fraud, bribery and corruption.
Judge was one of ENRC's best-known board members until hestepped down last month, a former Cadbury Schweppes executiveand a well-known figure in the City of London.
He could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement on Friday, ENRC said it was claiming damagesfor "breach of fiduciary duty", and was also demanding thereturn of any confidential documents still held by Judge.
"We have conducted thorough investigations into themalicious leaks which have damaged the company, its reputationand ultimately shareholder value," ENRC chairman Gerhard Ammannsaid.
"Whilst these investigations continue, the company has anobligation to bring legal action where appropriate in order toprotect the Company's information and stakeholders' interests."
Investors in ENRC's top shareholder Kazakhmys willvote next month on whether to accept the buyout offer made byENRC's founders, determining the company's fate and likelyending its five-year London adventure.