Court orders framing of fresh charge against Jindal

Of abetment to bribery in coal block allocation case

Naveen Jindal

A Special court for coal block scam cases on Friday ordered framing of an additional charge of abetment to indulge in bribery against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal and others in a case of alleged irregularities in allocation of a coal block in Jharkhand.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar said in his order that the charge will be formally framed against the accused on August 16.

Charges against others

The court also ordered framing of charges under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) against then Jindal Steel adviser Anand Goel; Nihar Stocks Ltd. director B.S.N. Suryanarayan; and Mumbai’s Essar Power Ltd executive vice-chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo.

The court had in 2016 ordered framing of charges against former Union Minister Dasari Narayana Rao (since deceased), former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary H. C. Gupta and 11 others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust under the Indian Penal Court and under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the case.

The case relates to allotment of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to two accused companies of the Jindal Group of companies.

Money laundering

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has filed a complaint against Mr. Jindal and the other accused persons for money laundering in the same case.

In its complaint filed in the court of Mr. Parashar, the Directorate alleged that Mr. Jindal’s firm Jindal Steel and Power Ltd along with others influenced the Screening Committee to allot the coal block by investing more than ₹2 crore in illegal gratification.

The court has posted the complaint on August 14 for consideration.