Delhi Court discharges three people in connection with coal block allocation case of TUML
Sep 04, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 4 : A Delhi Court on Friday discharged three people in connection with coal block allocation case concerning Topworth Urja and Metals Limited (TUML).
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Bharat Parashar discharged TUML Director Surendra Lodha, its President Anil Nevatia, and Vice President SK Mittra in a coal block allocation case concerning Topworth Urja & Metals Limited (TUML).
The court dropped charges dealing with cheating and others. However, it framed charges against the company TUML and three others --Anil Kumar Saxena, Manoj Maheshwari and Anand Nand Kishore Sarda --for their alleged role in the execution of mining lease pertaining to Marki-Mangli II, III & IV Coal blocks in Yavatmal District, Maharashtra.
Delhi Court three people in connection with coal block allocation case of TUML
"I am of the considered opinion that prima facie offence u/s 120-B IPC and offence u/s 120-B/420 IPC along with substantive offences thereof are made out against Topworth Urja & Metals Ltd., Anil Kumar Saxena, Manoj Maheshwari and Anand Nand Kishore Sarda, warranting framing of charges for the said offences against them. As regard Anand Nand Kishore Sarda, charge for the offence u/s 468/471 IPC is also made out against him and consequently charge for the offence u/s 120-B/468/471 IPC is also prima facie made out against M/s Topworth Urja & Metals Ltd., Anil Kumar Saxena @ A.K. Saxena, Manoj Maheshwari and Anand Nand Kishore Sarda." the court said.
The case was argued by a Delhi based law firm RKP and Associates headed by Advocate Ranjan Kumar Pandey. Advocate Ratnesh Deo represented Mittra, Advocate Anuj Tiwari represented Nevatia, while Surendra Lodha was represented by Advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey.
TUML was formerly known as Shree Virangana Steels Ltd. According to prosecution, the company Virangana Steels Ltd. along with its officers/directors conspired to cheat the Ministry of Coal (MoC), with a view to procuring allocation of captive coal mining blocks for its proposed 3 LTPA sponge iron Plant, Captive Power Plant (CPP) and Steel Melt Shop and even succeeded in obtaining an allocation of three captive coal blocks.
