A Delhi court on Friday framed charges of corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, PTI reported. The charges were framed in connection with alleged violations in the allocation process for the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. Koda had pleaded not guilty.
Special judge Bharat Parashar framed the charges after Koda claimed trial in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation has accused Koda of taking biased decisions in favour of the Jindal Steel and Power Limited and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Limited during the allocation process.
On August 16, Delhi’s Patiala House Court had framed additional charges of abetment of bribery against former Congress MP Naveen Jindal and several others in the same case.
The Enforcement Directorate has submitted its final report in the case, saying Jindal’s firm Jindal Steel and Power Limited and others had influenced the screening committee to allot the coal block by paying kickbacks worth Rs 2 crore. Last month, the agency had filed its chargesheet against Jindal and 14 others.
In April 2016, the court ordered the framing of charges against Koda, Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, who has passed away since then, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta, and 11 others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust.
All the accused have refuted the allegations made against them.
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