Coal block allocation ‘scam’: HC acquits former coal secretary

It was the CBI’s case that between 2006 and 2008, NPPL, along with the other accused persons conspired to deceive the Ministry of Coal by making false claims.

The CBI’s case against the senior officials was that they did not scrutinize the company’s “fraudulent” claims.

The senior Coal Ministry officials were accused by the central probing agency of being part of a criminal conspiracy to help NPPL get an “undue advantage” in securing the allocation of the two coal blocks in Odisha. NPPL, meanwhile, had been accused of making false claims —regarding its financial strength and net worth — and misrepresentations to gain the allocations.

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“When the application has been found to be complete, when the applicant company NPPL has been found to be an eligible company and when no misrepresentations were made by the company, no question arises for the existence of any conspiracy. It is held that prosecution has failed to prove any conspiracy. In view of the above discussion, all the accused are hereby acquitted of all the charges”, said Special Judge Sanjay Bansal of Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday.