The Patiala House Court in New Delhi on Monday granted bail to industrialist and Congress leader Naveen Jindal and 14 others in connection with the allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. All the accused have to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each, besides surety of the like amount, the court said, ANI reported.
In August, the court had summoned the 15 persons in connection with the case. The court had asked them to appear before it on October 15 on charges of money laundering. Later, the court framed additional charges of abetment of bribery against Jindal in the 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. In July, the agency filed its chargesheet against Jindal and 14 others.
In April 2016, the court ordered the framing of charges against Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao – who has since died – former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta, and 11 others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust.
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