Ex-MP Vijay Darda convicted in coal block allocation case

Arguments on the quantum of punishment are scheduled for July 18.

Although the CBI had filed a closure report in the case, the court in 2014 had refused to accept it and had directed that a fresh investigation be conducted by the probe agency.

The court stated that Darda, who is also the chairperson of the Lokmat Group, had “misrepresented” facts in letters written to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who held the coal portfolio. It said that Darda had done so to secure the Fatehpur (East) coal block in Chhattisgarh for JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd.

The 35th Screening Committee allotted the coal block to JLD Yavatmal Energy.

Special Judge Sanjay Bansal also convicted the former MP’s son Devender Darda, senior public servants K S Kropha and K C Samria, JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd and its Director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal.

In its FIR, the CBI had alleged that JLD Yavatmal Energy had wrongfully concealed the previous allocation of four coal blocks to its group companies in 1999-2005. But the probe agency later filed a closure report, saying that no undue benefit was extended to JLD Yavatmal Energy by the Coal Ministry in allocation of coal blocks.

The CBI had said that nothing substantial had emerged to establish cheating and criminal conspiracy among officials of the Coal Ministry and JLD Yavatmal Energy’s directors.

Thursday’s convictions are the 13th in the coal scam, which had rocked the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II government. In 2012, the Comptroller and Auditor General had slammed the government for alleged inefficient allocation of 194 coal blocks to public sector enterprises and private companies between 2004 and 2009 in a non-transparent manner.

The CAG initially estimated a loss of Rs 10.6 lakh crore to the exchequer, but its final report tabled in Parliament put the figure at Rs 1.86 lakh crore.