Coal Scam: Delhi HC admits appeal of former Coal Secy, Joint Secy challenging conviction

New Delhi [India]: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday admitted the appeal moved by former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and former Joint Secretary, Coal, K S Kropha challenging the trial court order that convicted and sentenced them in a case relating to irregularities in the allocation of a coal block in Chhattisgarh.

The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, after noting down the submissions made by the counsel of both sides, issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the appeal moved by HC Gupta and KS Kropha.

Advocate Rahul Tyagi appeared for the appellants in the matter in the matter before the Delhi High Court while advocate Tarannum Cheema appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation

The Delhi High Court had recently granted interim bail to former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, his son Devender Darda, and businessman Manoj Kumar Jayaswal in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the allocation of a coal block in Chhattisgarh.

The trial court judge, Sanjay Bansal, sentenced the former Coal Secretary Gupta, two senior public servants- K S Kropha and K C Samria- to three years in jail in the case and later granted all three public servants bail in the matter.

JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd company, which was charged under Sections 120-B IPC, 120-B r/w S. 420 IPC and 13 (1)(d)(iii) r/w 13(2) PC Act was fined Rs 50 lakh.

Special Judge Sanjay Bansal held all of them guilty and convicted them under offences under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, the Court acquitted the accused under 409 IPC (Criminal Breach of Trust by Public Servants).

Earlier, CBI told the court that JLD Yavatmal Energy Limited got Fatehpur East Coal Block in Chhattisgarh as part of the alleged criminal conspiracy by misrepresenting facts on the eligibility conditions.

According to the CBI, this was the 13th conviction in the coal scam-related case.

The coal scam-related cases have been registered by the CBI in connection with the allegations related to getting coal blocks allocated on the basis of misrepresentations and false claims in the applications, presentations and connivance or lack of due diligence on the part of public servants.