Fatehpur coal block case: Special CBI court grants bail to Prakash Industries directors, two former public servants

New Delhi [India], February 10 : A Special CBI Court for coal matters on Thursday granted bail to Prakash Industries Ltd directors Ved Prakash Agarwal, Ashok Kumar Chaturvedi, Harish Chandra Gupta (former coal secretary) and Kuljeet Singh Kropha (former joint secretary of coal Ministry) in CBI case in relation to the allocation of Fatehpur coal block case.
While granting bail to several accused, Special CBI Judge Arun Bhardwaj on Thursday said, "Considering the submissions made, accused persons namely Ved Prakash Agarwal, Ashok Kumar Chaturvedi, Harish Chandra Gupta and Kuljeet Singh Kropha are admitted to bail, on furnishing a personal bond and surety bond for a sum of Rs 50,000 with a further condition that they will not try to influence prosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence."
The Court also allowed travel abroad application and directed that accused persons will give two days prior intimation to the Investigation Officer and this court before leaving the Country and after furnishing FDR of Rs 50 lakhs each.
Last month, the special court said cognizance of an offence under section 120 B, 120 B read with section 420 read with 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 is taken against all the five accused. Cognizance of an offence under section 420 read with 511 IPC is also taken against all three private persons and also under section 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against the two public servants HC Gupta and KS Kropha.
Advocate Vijay Aggarwal Counsel for Ved Prakash Agarwal, Ashok Kumar Chaturvedi and G.L. Mohta submitted that the accused were not arrested during the investigation and cooperated throughout the probe including appearing before the Investigation officer whenever called. He further submitted that G.L. Mohta is presently in the USA as his son living there was not well and is likely to return to India sometime in March 2022.
Advocate V.K. Sharma appeared for CBI submitted that bail be not granted to G.L. Mohta and he be only exempted from personal appearance till he returns to India. His bail be considered only when he returns to India, Sharma said.
On the issue of G.L. Mohta is concerned, he is admitted to interim bail and his application will be decided on merits after his return to India, the court said.
Counsel Atul Guleria, who appeared for former public servants, submitted that the accused persons have not been arrested during investigation and trial of the instant case will take considerable time to conclude and accused persons have cooperated throughout the investigation and there is no chance of their fleeing from justice.
According to the investigation agency, the case is related to Prakash Industries Limited which allegedly made irregularities in the application filed for the allotment of the coal block.