Former Coal Secretary HC Gupta and four others were found guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy in a case of allotment of coal blocks in West Bengal.
On Friday, the CBI Special Judge Bharat Parashar also held guilty private firm Vikash Metals and Power Limited (VMPL), a former joint secretary in the coal ministry, KS Kropha and the then director (CA-I) in the ministry, KC Samria. The firm’s managing director Vikash Patni and an official of the firm Anand Mallick were also convicted by the court. All five persons have been taken into custody by the court and fixed December 3 for hearing arguments on the punishment, which can be a up to seven years of jail.
The case relates to alleged irregularities in the allocation of the Moira and Madhujore (North and South) coal blocks of West Bengal to VMPL. The CBI started investigating the case in 2012.
Gupta was the coal secretary for two years under the Congress-led UPA-I government. He retired in 2008.
