Delhi Court Discharges Former Officials in Coal Allocation Case

A Delhi court discharged former coal secretary H C Gupta and ex-joint secretary (coal) K S Kropha due to lack of evidence in the case of irregularities in the allocation of Mednirai coal block. Charges of conspiracy and cheating were directed against Kohinoor Steel Pvt. Ltd. and its associates.

In a significant development, a Delhi court has cleared former coal secretary H C Gupta and ex-joint secretary (coal) K S Kropha of charges in connection with the alleged irregularities in the allocation of the Mednirai coal block in Jharkhand.

The order, passed by Special Judge Sanjay Bansal, cited insufficient evidence against Gupta and Kropha, leading to their discharge from the case. The decision was delivered on April 4, marking a crucial juncture in the ongoing legal proceedings.

However, the court directed the framing of charges against Kohinoor Steel Pvt. Ltd., its director Vijay Bothra, and employee Rakesh Khare, accusing them of fraud and criminal conspiracy to secure the coal block allocation through deceitful means.

(With inputs from agencies.)