Bhubaneswar: The Special Court of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi is likely to pronounce its ‘quantum of sentence’ Monday against former Union Minister Dilip Ray and five others in connection with Jharkhand coal block allocation scam.
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Notably, all of them have already been convicted in the case.
The Special Court Judge Bharat Parashar had earlier directed all convicts to remain physically present on this day by strictly adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and maintaining social distance.
The pronouncement of ‘quantum of sentence’ was earlier scheduled for October 14. The court had convicted Ray who was the Minister of State for Coal, Mines in Vajpayee’s government October 6.
As many as 51 witnesses were examined in the case.
However, five others were also convicted the same day, noting that they conspired together beyond all reasonable doubts in order to procure allocation of the captive coal block in Jharkhand.
Notably, 105.153 hectare of non-nationalised Brahmadiha coal block of Giridih district in Jharkhand was then allocated to Castron Technologies Limited by the 14th Screening Committee.
“It is beyond a shadow of doubt that all the convicts conspired together so as to procure allocation of a captive coal block”, Judge Bharat Parashar of Rouse Avenue Court had concluded.
Notably, the CBI had urged the Special Court October 14 to award life imprisonment to former Union Minister Dilip Ray, who was convicted in the coal scam case pertaining to irregularities in the allocation of Brahmadiha coal block in Jharkhand in the year 1999.
Special Judge Bharat Parashar reserved the order for October 26 after hearing arguments from the CBI as well the convicts.
PNN
