Coal scam: Court sentences accused to two years jail term, grants bail

Three public servants including former coal secretary H C Gupta were convicted in the case but let out on bail immediately

A CBI special court on Monday sentenced three accused in the coal gate scam to two years in prison. Three public servants including former coal secretary H C Gupta who were convicted on Friday were sentenced to two years in prison and Rs 1 lakh fine in the coal scam case.

The special court, however, immediately granted bail to convicted public servants H C Gupta, K S Kropha and K C Samaria. Bail was granted on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and one surety of like amount. The court also granted bail to Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia the Managing director of KSSPL.

The special court had on Friday also convicted then joint secretary K S Kropha and then director K C Samaria in the coal ministry and others in the coal scam case. The court found them guilty of cheating and corruption in the allocation of the Rudrapur coal block to KSSPL in Madhya Pradesh. The court acquitted chartered accountant Amit Goyal, who was also facing trial, of all charges in the case.

The CBI had lodged an FIR accusing the company and others of allegedly misrepresenting facts, including inflated net worth, to acquire the coal block. Earlier, Gupta had requested the court for a joint trial of the cases against him, citing his advancing age and precarious finances. However, his petition was rejected as the court said the cases were at different stages.

OneIndia News