Former Coal Secretary Gets 3-Year Jail, Released on Bail

New Delhi, Dec 5: A Delhi court on Wednesday sentenced former Coal Secretary H.C. Gupta and two other former government officials to three years in jail in a coal block allocation case and said that “white collar crimes” are more dangerous than ordinary crimes. CBI Special Judge Bharat Parashar also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on Gupta and former officials K.S. Kropha and K.C. Samria.

However, the court granted bail to the former government officials and asked them to furnish a personal bond and a surety of Rs 1 lakh each. The court allowed the plea of the three ex-officials seeking suspension of sentence in order to enable them to appeal in the High Court but directed them not to leave the country. The court also sentenced Vikash Metal and Power Ltd (VMPL) Managing Director Vikash Patni and authorized signatory Anand Mallick to four years in jail. The court asked Patni to pay a fine of Rs 25 lakh and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Mallick and sent them to jail. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on VMPL. (IANS)

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