look news india
New Delhi, April 5 (Hindustan Reporter) The Delhi High Court has reserved its verdict on the petition seeking stay on the sentence of Dilip Rai, the accused convicted by the trial court in the coal block allocation scam case in Jharkhand and Union Minister during the Atal Bihari government. The bench headed by Justice Swarnakanta Sharma ordered to reserve the decision.
During the hearing, CBI opposed Dilip Rai's petition. Senior advocate RS Cheema, appearing for CBI, said that considering the seriousness of the case, the sentence should not be stayed. He said that there has been corruption in this matter and this is a case related to coal block allocation. He said that the petitioner is not entitled to any relief. The petitioner has failed to explain what harm he would face if his sentence is not stayed.
Delhi High Court had issued notice to CBI on March 21. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Dilip Rai, had said that he wants to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Odisha, hence he is demanding a stay on the sentence. Rohatgi had said that according to the provisions of Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, Dilip Rai is ineligible to contest the elections. He had said that Dilip Rai is 71 years old and in such a situation the punishment should be stayed.
On October 27, 2020, the High Court had suspended the sentence of Dilip Rai and three accused in this case. The three accused whose sentence was suspended by the High Court include Mahendra Kumar Aggarwal, Pradeep Kumar Banerjee and Nityanand Gautam. On October 26, 2020, Rouse Avenue Court had sentenced all four accused including Dilip Rai to three years of imprisonment each. Apart from Dilip Rai, Rouse Avenue Court had sentenced the then Coal Ministry officials Pradeep Kumar Banerjee, Nityanand Gautam and Castron Technologies director Mahendra Kumar Aggarwal to three years' imprisonment each. The court has imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Dilip Rai, Rs 2 lakh each on Pradeep Kumar Banerjee and Nityanand Gautam and Rs 60 lakh on Mahendra Agarwal. The court has imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh on the guilty company Castron Technologies and Rs 10 lakh on Castron Mining Limited.
This case pertains to the allocation of a coal block of more than 105 hectares in Brahmadiha in Giridih, Jharkhand. This coal block was allotted to a company called Castron Technologies Limited. Dilip Rai was the Minister of State for Coal in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
