The Delhi High Court has rejected former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda’s plea to stay his conviction in the coal scam case, potentially barring him from contesting the upcoming assembly elections in November 2024.
Koda, who served as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister and has been a prominent political figure in the state, had sought relief in order to be eligible for the polls. However, the bench, led by Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, dismissed his application, leaving his political future uncertain.
Koda was convicted in 2017 in connection with the illegal allocation of the Rajhara North coal block to Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd. Alongside him, former coal secretary H.C. Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary A.K. Basu, and his associate Vijay Joshi were also sentenced to three years in prison.
The charges against them stem from corruption and conspiracy, as they were found guilty of manipulating the coal block allocation process to benefit private parties.
Koda’s conviction under the Prevention of Corruption Act came with a three-year prison sentence and a fine of INR 5 lakh. While he was granted bail and received a stay on the fine in 2018, his efforts to overturn his conviction have not been successful. A previous request to stay his conviction was denied by the Delhi High Court in 2020, a decision that Koda did not appeal at the time.
In his latest plea, Koda argued that the upcoming elections are crucial for his political career, and without relief from the court, he would be prevented from contesting due to the conviction.
The plea also noted that his criminal appeal has been pending for several years without being scheduled for a hearing, a point Koda’s legal team used to argue for the stay.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which opposed Koda’s plea, cited legal grounds for dismissing the application. Senior Advocate R.S. Cheema and lawyer Tarannum Cheema, representing the CBI, highlighted that Koda’s request was similar to the one denied in 2020.
They argued that there had been no significant changes in the legal or factual circumstances since then, and thus, the plea lacked merit. The CBI also emphasised the broader issue of preventing individuals convicted of corruption from participating in politics, arguing that allowing Koda to contest the elections would send the wrong message.
Koda’s conviction was part of a larger investigation into corruption in the coal allocation process, which implicated several politicians and officials. The coal scam, also known as “Coalgate,” involved irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks to private companies, causing significant losses to the exchequer.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision in 2014, had cancelled the allocation of 214 coal blocks, including the one involved in Koda’s case, citing corruption and lack of transparency in the process.
Despite his conviction, Koda has remained a significant figure in Jharkhand’s political landscape. His tenure as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2008 was marked by coalition politics and frequent political instability in the state.
Before becoming Chief Minister, Koda had served as a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and his political career spans several decades.
Koda’s latest legal setback could prove decisive in his political future, as the denial of the stay on his conviction makes it difficult for him to contest the upcoming elections.
With the elections in Jharkhand drawing closer, Koda’s supporters may be left wondering whether this marks the end of his long political journey or if he will continue to seek other avenues for relief.
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