NEW DELHI, Dec 13 - Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and ex-coal secretary HC Gupta were today convicted in a case of coal block allocation scam by a special court for corruption and criminal conspiracy.
They were convicted along with three others for irregularities in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to Kolkata-based private company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd. With today�s verdict, four of the 30 cases arising out of the coal block allocation scam unearthed during the previous UPA regime, have been decided.
Others who have been held guilty are ex-Jharkhand chief secretary AK Basu, Koda�s close aide Vijay Joshi and the company VISUL under section 120B of Indian Penal Code and section 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, which entails maximum punishment of seven years.
Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar will hear arguments on the quantum of punishment tomorrow.
The court acquitted four persons � VISUL�s former director Vaibhav Tulsyan and public servants Basant Kumar Bhattacharya and Bipin Bihari Singh and CA Navin Kumar Tulsyan � of all charges levelled against them. � PTI