New Delhi, December 9: In a landmark judgment, the Special Court in Delhi on Monday convicted three individuals and a company in a coal scam case involving fraudulent allocation of coal blocks in Jharkhand.
The convicted parties include Manoj Kumar Jayaswal, Managing Director of M/s Abhijeet Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (now M/s Abhijeet Infrastructure Ltd.), Ramesh Kumar Jayaswal, former Director of the company, and the company itself.
The case pertains to the allocation of Brinda, Sisai, and Meral coal blocks in 2005. Investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), initiated in 2016, revealed that the company secured the coal blocks through fraudulent means, including misrepresenting its financial status and submitting fabricated documents about land acquisition, machinery procurement, and financial backing for an end-use plant.
The CBI's charge sheet, filed in 2020, accused the Jayaswals and the company of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. During the trial, 38 witnesses testified, and 74 critical documents were presented. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj of the Rouse Avenue District Court found all three guilty.
The court highlighted the significant financial losses to the public exchequer caused by the fraudulent allocation. The sentencing will be announced at a later date, marking a crucial step in addressing corruption and irregularities in the coal allocation process.
