Court convicts 5, including ex-Union secretary HC Gupta, for coal block allocation scam

The court will deliver the quantum of sentence on Monday.

NEW DELHI: A special court Friday convicted five persons, including former Union Coal Secretary HC Gupta, and one company Vikas Metal Power Limited in alleged irregularities in the coal block allocation case.

All the five persons were found guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. They were immediately taken into custody.

The court will deliver the quantum of sentence on December 3.

The case relates to the irregularities in allocation of Moira and Madhujore (North and South) coal blocks in West Bengal, the contract of which was awarded to Vikas Metal Power Ltd. 

Gupta, along with former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, were found guilty of allocating Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to Kolkata-based private company VISUL in January this year.

With agency inputs