Coal scam: HC junks plea of accused against framing of charges

Delhi High Court today dismissed a plea challenging the special court's order framing charges against a director of a private firm in a coal block allocation case in which industrialist Naveen Jindal is one of the accused.
Justice Mukta Gupta turned down the plea of Director of Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL) Girish Kumar Suneja who along with 14 others was put on trial in the matter.
The high court observed that the Supreme Court by its July 14, 2014 decision had made it clear that challenge to special court's order would be heard only by it in coal scam cases.

"It is trite law that the directions of the Supreme Court under Article 142 of the Constitution are binding on all the courts and the High Court is bound to come in aid thereto to see that the orders passed by the Supreme Court are enforced within its territory.
"Thus in view of the discussion aforesaid, following the mandate of the order dated July 25, 2014 passed by the Supreme Court the present petition is dismissed as not maintainable," the court said.
The court's came on plea by Suneja, who has challenged the trial court's April 29 order, by which he and 14 others were put on trial in the case.

The special court had framed charges against the accused for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust under the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The accused were chargesheeted by CBI in the case relating to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and GSIPL in 2008.
All the accused have denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI in its charge sheet during the arguments before the court.