Ex-coal secretary, others put on trial in coal scam case

NEW DELHI, Dec 22:
Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, facing prosecution in coal scam cases, was today put on trial by a special court along with four others including two public servants for alleged offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy in the JICPL case.
Besides Gupta, Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar also framed charges against senior public servants K S Kropha and K C Samria, JAS Infrastructure Capital Pvt Ltd (JICPL) and its Director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal for the alleged irregularities in the allotment of ‘Mahuagarhi Coal Block’ in Jharkhand to a private firm.
After the charges were framed, the accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial in the case.
The court has put up the matter for further hearing on April 17, 2017. While ordering to put the accused on trial, the court had on December 7, said, “The facts of the present case prima facie show that accused H C Gupta, K S Kropha and K C Samria entered into a criminal conspiracy with company M/s JICPL and its director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal so as to procure allotment of a coal block in favour of M/s JICPL”. (PTI)