The Special CBI court has given its verdict on the quantum of punishment which will be inflicted on former coal secretary H C Gupta and others who were involved in the coal scam case.
H.C. Gupta and his allies K.S. Kropha and K.C. Samaria has been awarded two-year imprisonment by a special court in New Delhi in a coal scam case.
The court, in addition to the imprisonment also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh each on the three convicts.
The court imposed a fine of ₹1 crore on convicted firm Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd. Firm’s Managing Director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia was awarded three-year jail term along with a fine penalty of ₹30 lakh.
All the convicts were granted bail soon after the sentence was announced to enable them to move the High Court.
What is the Coal Gate Case?
The Coal Scam case is in context with allocating irregular coal blocks in Madhya Pradesh to Kamal Sponge Steel & Power Ltd. (KSSPL). Various government employees and public servants aided KSSPL in receiving an unjustified share of coal mines. KSSPL furnished a misrepresented application with overstated qualifications.
Gupta and his allies who were serving at government positions were earlier convicted by the court for irregularities in the allocation of the Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block in Madhya Pradesh to a private firm.
Gupta was found guilty of abusing their position as public servants, crafting pecuniary relationships for self-benefit and being involved in criminal transparency. The court found Gupta and others guilty as convicted under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code.
The coal secretary from 31 December 2005 to November 2008 – Gupta, then joint secretary KS Trophy and then director KC Samaria in the MOC were held guilty by the court for irregularities in allocating the coal block to the firm.
What does the ChargeSheet say?
The charge sheet issued by the Court revealed that the company’s application was incomplete and did not qualify for approval. The court pointed out that the application should have been rejected in the first stage. The firm KSSPL and its managing director (MD), Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia were convicted under charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy.
The court further said Manmohan Singh, then prime minister had no reason to presume that the guidelines had not been complied with. “Gupta had made a “dishonest misrepresentation” before Singh,” Special Judge Bharat Parashar said.
Singh was then holding the portfolio of the Ministry of Coal (MOC) besides others. It is also known that Singh acted on the recommendations of the Screening committee which was chaired by Gupta.
