Coal scam: Delhi HC dismisses Madhu Koda's plea seeking stay on conviction

The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a plea by former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda seeking to stay his conviction in a coal scam case. Koda had sought a stay on his conviction to enable him to contest upcoming assembly elections in the state. "Application dismissed," said Justice Neena Bansal Krishna. Koda, former coal secretary H C Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary A K Basu, and Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi were awarded three-year jail terms by a trial court for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North Coal Block in the state to Kolkata-based company, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL). It had also imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. A Rs 1 lakh fine was also imposed on Basu. The convicts were granted bail during the pendency of their appeals.