Koda, former coal secy get three-year jail term

New Delhi, December 16

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and ex-coal secretary HC Gupta were today sentenced to three years in jail in a coal scam case by a special court, which said “white collar crimes” were more “dangerous” to the society than ordinary crimes.

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AK Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Vijay Joshi, a close aide of the ex-CM, were also awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to a Kolkata-based company, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL).

Special CBI court judge Bharat Parashar also imposed fine of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta, respectively, in the UPA-era coal scam.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court. — PTI