Coal Scam: UPA-Era Coal Secretary, H C Gupta, Found Guilty Of Corruption By Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has found H C Gupta, former Coal Secretary in the UPA I government and five others, guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy, as reported by All Indian Radio (AIR).

The special CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) court, headed by Judge Bharat Parashar, pronounced the judgement in the coal scam case. Mr Gupta and five others have now been taken into custody, and the court will decide on the nature and length of punishment in its next hearing on 3 December 2018.

The case refers to irregularities that were uncovered in the allotment of coal blocks in West Bengal. Moira and Madhujore-North and South-coal blocks were allocated to VMPL (Vikash Metals and Power Limited) without following due process, with the CBI registering the case in September 2012.

The court also convicted Vikash Patni, the firm's managing director and its authorised signatory Anand Mallick in the case. All the accused had pleaded not guilty in the case.

It was reported in May 2017 that the CBI had sought the highest quantum of punishment of seven years jail term for H C Gupta who had served as the coal secretary in the first term of the UPA government between 31 December, 2005, to November 2008.