Coal block scam: Delhi court to hear bail pleas of five accused

New Delhi [India], May 25 (ANI): The Patiala House Court will on Thursday hear the bail pleas of five new accused in connection with the alleged irregularities pertaining to the Urban North Coal Block in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier on Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed another chargesheet against former MP Naveen Jindal and five others in connection with the same. Taking cognizance of the chargesheet, the court issued summons to Jindal, four individuals and the Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) company, asking them to appear on September 4th. The CBI has chargesheeted the accused under sections of criminal conspiracy and cheating of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Last month, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Jindal Steel's advisor Anand Goel, Gurgaon-based Green Infra's vice-president Siddharth Madra, Mumbai-based KE International's Chief Financial Officer Rajeev Aggarwal, Nihar Stocks Limited Director B.S.N. Suryanarayan and Mumbai's Essar Power Limited Executive vice chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo. The court was hearing the case related to the allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge. The CBI had sought more time from the special court to examine evidence in the coal block allocation scam. The CBI also stated that hard disks and letters were sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and opinions of handwriting and computer experts were also being sought. Earlier, Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir had filed a plea asking for a re-investigation in the matter. The plea was filed in response to the closure report sought by the two Union Ministers. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the duo for their final submission in the case. On not being satisfied with the closure report, the two leaders sought for a re-investigation. The scam dates back to 1993 when the Centre allocated coal blocks to private companies during 1993-2010. However, the apex court had in 2014 termed these allocations 'illegal'. It was on the complaint filed by Javadekar and Ahir in 2012 that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ordered a CBI probe into the matter. Earlier in 2014, the apex court set up a special CBI court to try all the cases filed in the coal allocation scam. (ANI)