Coal scam: Court imposes Rs 2 lakh fine on accused for violating bail condition

A special court has imposed a fine of Rs two lakh on a director of Adhunik Corporation Ltd, accused in a coal scam case, for violating bail conditions by going abroad without its prior permission.

However, Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar did not cancel the bail after the accused -- Mahesh Kumar Agarwal -- tendered "unconditional apology" with an undertaking that no such occasion will arise in future, and the Judge directed him to deposit the fine amount in 'Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund'.

The firm, Agarwal and its another director Nirmal Kumar Agarwal are facing trial for the alleged offence punishable under sections 420 (cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) for the alleged irregularities in allocation of Patrapara coal block in Odisha to the firm.

Advoate Vijay Agarwal, appearing for Mahesh, told the court that from December 23, 2016 to January 5, 2017 the accused had "indeed gone to Australia without taking prior permission from the court."