Jharkhand’s Ex-CM Madhu Koda Gets 3-Years Jail In Coal Scam 

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS): A court here on Saturday sentenced former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda to three years in jail for corruption in a coal block allocation case.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar also sent Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta and Jharkhand's then Chief Secretary AK Basu, to jail for three years.

It also imposed a fine of Rs25 lakh each on Koda and Joshi and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Gupta and Basu.

The court on December 13 had held Koda, Joshi, Gupta, Basu and private company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL) guilty of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL.

The court's order came in the case related to Jharkhand's Rajhara North coal block allocation to VISUL.

The CBI has urged the court to award the maximum seven-year jail term to Koda and others after they were convicted in the case.

The agency said they were criminals holding high offices and considering their official position and conduct, there was no sufficient ground for leniency.

The convicts, however, have sought leniency from the court.

The judge had acquitted four persons -- VISUL's Director Vaibhav Tulsyan, two public servants Basant Kumar Bhattacharya and Bipin Bihari Singh, and Chartered Accountant Navin Kumar Tulsyan -- of all charges.

The CBI had alleged that Koda and others conspired to favour VISUL in getting the coal block.

The CBI had claimed that VISUL had applied for the allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007. Although the Jharkhand government and the Steel Ministry did not recommend its case, a Screening Committee recommended the block allocation to the firm.

The agency had said that Gupta, who was then Chairman of the Screening Committee, had allegedly concealed facts from then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had been heading the Coal Ministry as well, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of the coal block.

The court on Wednesday convicted Madhu Koda and others on corruption charges in a coal block allocation case.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar held Koda, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta, Jharkhand's then Chief Secretary AK Basu, among others, guilty of criminal conspiracy and cheating under various provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. The quantum of punishment was announced today.