Court digs out conspiracy in Naveen Jindal coal case

Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal and 14 others were summoned as accused in a Coalgate case on Wednesday by a special court which observed that he had manipulated the entire government machinery to procure undue allotment of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block, in Jharkhand, in favour of his two Group firms Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron (GSIPL).

The court also summoned as accused former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao, former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, former coal secretary Harish Chandra Gupta and others, including five companies, asking them to appear before it on May 22 after taking cognisance of the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) charge sheet filed against them.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar observed that the charge sheet shows that Jindal had played a pivotal role in the conspiracy to procure allotment of the coal block.

"Similarly, it is also prima facie clear that Naveen Jindal being the promoter of M/s JSPL and M/s GSIPL manipulated the entire government machinery both in the state of Jharkhand and in MoC (ministry of coal) so as to procure undue allotment of entire Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in the name of its two group companies," the court said.

The court added that as per the CBI's probe, Rs 2 crore was transferred in favour of Sowbhagya Media, a company controlled by Rao, from Jindal Realty. JSPL denied the charges saying it is confident that it will stand vindicated at the end of the case.

"We deny all allegations made against our company and its management. We will be availing of appropriate remedy in accordance with law." JSPL said.