The Delhi High Court dismissed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a coal scam case, which he hoped would allow him to contest upcoming state elections. The conviction bars Koda from running for office, dealing a blow to his political ambitions.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court dismissed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a coal scam case. Koda had requested the stay to enable him to contest the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand.
In a brief statement, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna ruled, “Application dismissed,” rejecting Koda’s attempt to pause his conviction. This decision comes as a significant blow to Koda’s political ambitions, as his conviction bars him from contesting elections under the Representation of People Act.
Koda, alongside former coal secretary H C Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary A K Basu, and his close associate Vijay Joshi, was convicted for their involvement in the allocation of the Rajhara North Coal Block to the Kolkata-based company, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL). The group was sentenced to three years in prison by a special CBI court, which found them guilty of indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy during the coal block allocation.
In addition to the jail terms, the court imposed substantial fines on the convicts. VISUL was ordered to pay a fine of Rs 50 lakh, while Madhu Koda was fined Rs 25 lakh. Former coal secretary Gupta was slapped with a Rs 1 lakh fine, and a Rs 1 lakh fine was also imposed on Basu for their respective roles in the scam.
The coal scam, which took place during the UPA government, has long been one of India’s most high-profile corruption cases, and this latest ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on such corruption-related convictions.
While Koda and the other convicts have been granted bail during the pendency of their appeals, this rejection by the Delhi High Court means Koda remains ineligible to run for public office as the case proceeds through the legal system.
With the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections fast approaching, this decision marks a critical moment in Koda’s political career, further limiting his ability to make a comeback in state politics.
Madhu Koda’s plea for a stay on his conviction may have been dismissed, but the appeals process continues as he fights to clear his name in this coal scam case.
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