Coal scam: Delhi court discharges ex-coal secretary H C Gupta

New Delhi: A Delhi court has discharged former coal secretary H C Gupta and ex-joint secretary (coal) K S Kropha in a case related to alleged irregularities in allocation of Mednirai coal bock in Jharkhand.

Special Judge Sanjay Bansal granted the relief to Gupta and Kropha citing lack of evidence against them in the case.

"It is held that both the accused public servants are entitled for discharge and are hereby discharged," the judge said in an order passed on April 4.

The judge, however, directed framing of charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating against Kohinoor Steel Pvt. Ltd., its director, Vijay Bothra, and employee Rakesh Khare, saying "they dishonestly and fraudulently induced MoS (Ministry of Steel), MoC (Ministry of Coal) and Govt. of India to allocate Mednirai Coal Block to the company." "They appear to have been in conspiracy with one another. The circumstances tend to show existence of such a conspiracy," the judge said.

The present case relates to allocation of Mednirai coal block in Jharkhand to Kohinoor Steel Pvt. Ltd.