E-Paper
Coalscam: Rungtas move HC against conviction, CBI reply sought
Delhi high court on Friday sought CBI response on the appeals filed by Directors of Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL), R S Rungta and R C Rungta, challenging their conviction and the four-year sentence awarded to them in a coal scam case.
Delhi high court on Friday sought CBI response on the appeals filed by Directors of Jharkhand Ispat Pvt Ltd (JIPL), R S Rungta and R C Rungta, challenging their conviction and the four-year sentence awarded to them in a coal scam case.
Justice Siddharth Mridul asked CBI to respond by May 6, the next date of hearing.
“Issued notice. Advocate Tarannum Cheema (for CBI) accepts notice and seeks time to file reply,” the court said.
Cheema told coal scam matters were monitored by the Supreme Court and the CBI will inform the apex court about these appeals on May 5.
A special court had on April 4 sentenced both the Rungtas to jail in the coal scam case, lamenting that India was lagging behind in development due to such “unscrupulous businessmen”.
It was the first case in the coal scam which was decided by the special court, constituted exclusively to deal with all such cases.
The court had also imposed a fine of Rs five lakh each on R S Rungta (79) and R C Rungta (60) who were convicted on March 28 for offences of cheating and criminal conspiracy under the IPC.
It had also slapped a fine of Rs 25 lakh on the company JIPL which was also held guilty along with the Rungtas.
Rungtas and JIPL were convicted by the court which had noted that they had “fraudulently” and with a dishonest intention “deceived” government in allocating the North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to the firm.
Besides this case, 19 other cases investigated by the CBI in the coal scam are pending before the special court. Two other cases probed by ED are also pending before the court.
