CBI files chargesheet against Naveen Jindal, Madhu Koda

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS): The CBI on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against industrialist Naveen Jindal, former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, former union minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao, former coal secretary H.C. Gupta and others in the coal block allocation case in a court here.

The charge sheet was filed before Special Judge Bharat Parashar who posted the matter for Thursday for the court’s consideration.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named Naveen Jindal, Madhu Koda, Dasari Narayan Rao and HC Gupta along with six other individuals — Gyan Swaroop Garg, Suresh Singhal, Rajeev Jain, Girish Kumar Juneja, R.K. Saraf and K. Ramakrishna.

Five private companies, including four based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad, have also been named in the charge sheet.

The companies named in the charge sheet are Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd, Jindal Reality Pvt Ltd, New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd and Sowbhagya Media Ltd.

The CBI has formally charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The case relates to the allocation of Jharkhand’s Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge.

The agency said the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation was recommended by the 35th screening committee.

“It was alleged that two steel and iron companies based in Delhi misrepresented facts to get coal blocks. Also, there was alleged INVESTMENT in a Hyderabad-based firm from the group of companies based at Delhi,” said a CBI official.

Rao was the union minister of state for coal between 2006 and 2009 when the irregularities allegedly took place.

According to the official, searches were conducted on June 11, 2013 at 19 locations in Delhi and Hyderabad in connection with the case. After a thorough investigation, the official said, CBI filed a charge sheet on Wednesday.