Coal scam case: SC bars accused to challenge special court orders during trial

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an order that bars the five accused in the coal allocation scam case to challenge any special court order before the Delhi High Court during the trial of the case.

The apex court also dismissed the plea of the accused to approach the Delhi High court against the charge order.

On May 25, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court granted bail to five accused including industrialist Naveen Jindal and his advisor Anand Goel.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar had also granted bail to accused Gurgaon-based Green Infra's vice-president Siddharth Madra, Nihar Stocks Ltd. director BSN Suryanarayan, Mumbai-based KE International's chief financial officer Rajeev Aggarwal and Mumbai's Essar Power Ltd. Executive vice-chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo.

The court has directed the accused person neither to tamper with evidence nor to influence witnesses.

The CBI has chargesheeted the accused under sections of criminal conspiracy and cheating of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Besides Jindal, the case also involves former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

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.