Former RS MP Vijay Darda gets 4 yrs imprisonment in coal scam case

New Delhi: A special court, after hearing arguments on quantum of sentence, has awarded four years imprisonment to former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda in a case related to irregularities in allocation of a coal block in Chhattisgarh.

Along with Darda, his son Devender Darda and M/s JLD Yavatmal Energy Private Limited's director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal were also sentenced to four years imprisonment in this case.

Moreover, the court in Delhi on Wednesday awarded three years imprisonment to ex-Coal secretary H.C.Gupta and two public servants -- K S Kropha and K C Samria -- in this case.

CBI special Judge Sanjay Bansal, after hearing arguments, passed the conviction order on July 13 against former RS MP Vijay Darda and ex-Coal secretary H C Gupta, Darda's son Devender Darda, K S Kropha and K C Samria, M/s JLD Yavatmal Energy Private Limited and its director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal.

The court held all the accused guilty under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and section 420 (cheating) defined under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court imposed a pay fine of Rs 25 lacs on M/s JLD Yavatmal Energy Ltd for offence under sections 120-B, 420 of Indian Penal Code and sections 13(1)(d)(iii), 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The company was further sentenced to pay fine of Rs 25 lacs for the substantive offence under IPC section 420, the court said.

The CBI court, while refusing to accept the closure report of CBI in month of November 2014, directed the central agency to conduct further probe in the matter. (UNI)