CBI files charge sheet against Jindal, Koda

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against industrialist Naveen Jindal, former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, ex-coal minister of state Dasari Narayan Rao, former coal secretary H.C. Gupta and others in the coal block allocation case in a court here.

The charge sheet was filed before Special Judge Bharat Parashar, who posted the matter for Thursday for the court's consideration.

The probe agency has named Jindal, Koda, Rao and Gupta with six other individuals, including the chairman of the 35th screening committee.

Five private companies, including four based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad, have also been named in the charge sheet.

The CBI has formally charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The case relates to the allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge.

The agency said that the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation was recommended by the 35th screening committee.

"It was alleged that two steel and iron companies based in Delhi misrepresented facts to get coal blocks. Also, there was alleged investment in a Hyderabad-based firm from the group of companies based at Delhi," said a CBI official.

According to the official, searches were conducted on June 11, 2013 at 19 locations in Delhi and Hyderabad in connection with the case.

After a thorough investigation, the official said, CBI filed a charge sheet on Wednesday.