Supplementary chargesheet in coal case against industrialist Naveen Jindal filed

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday filed a supplementary chargesheet naming five more persons as accused in a coal scam case against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal and others. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar took cognizance of the final report and summoned all the new accused named in it for April 10. In its final report, the agency has named as accused Jindal Steel's adviser Anand Goel, Gurgaon-based Green Infra's Vice-President Siddharth Madra, Nihar Stocks Limited Director BSN Suryanarayan, Mumbai-based KE International's Chief Financial Officer Rajeev Aggarwal, and Mumbai's Essar Power Limited Executive Vice-Chairman Sushil Kumar Maroo.

The court had earlier directed the agency to expeditiously file its further probe report as sufficient time has already been granted to it and listed the matter for filing of the report on March 24. The case also involved ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda as accused.

CBI has alleged that Koda had favoured Jindal group firms – Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL) – in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. Opposing CBI's contention, all the accused had said there was no evidence to show that there was any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process. They had also denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI in its charge sheet.