Court summons Jindal, Koda in coal block case

A court here on Wednesday issued summons to industrialist Naveen Jindal, former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and others in the coal block allocation case.

The others, who were issued summons, included former union minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao and former coal secretary H.C. Gupta.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar issued the summons against Jindal, Koda, Rao, Gupta and 11 other accused in the case and asked them to appear on May 22.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 29 filed a chargesheet against Jindal, Koda, Rao, Gupta with six other individuals -- Gyan Swaroop Garg, Suresh Singhal, Rajeev Jain, Girish Kumar Juneja, R.K. Saraf and K. Ramakrishna.

Five private companies -- four based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad -- have also been named in the chargesheet.

The companies named in the chargesheet are Jindal Steel and Power Ltd., Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt. Ltd., Jindal Reality Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi Exim Pvt. Ltd. and Sowbhagya Media Ltd.

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 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.

Rao was the union minister of state for coal between 2006 and 2009 when the irregularities allegedly took place.

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