Coal Scam: Delhi Court Allows Naveen Jindal To Travel Abroad

A Delhi court has allowed Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, accused in three cases related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks, to travel to Oman and UAE from September 11 to 13. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj allowed Jindal’s application noting he had travelled abroad several times in the past and returned to India to face the trial within the stipulated period.

“In the considered opinion of this court, the applicant/accused is entitled to permission of the court to travel abroad to Oman and UAE from September 11 to 13,” the judge said. The judge directed Jindal to furnish a fixed deposit of Rs 1 crore and not to tamper with any evidence or try to influence any witness in any manner.

Jindal had moved the application seeking court’s permission to go to the two countries in connection with his business interests. One of the cases Jindal is an accused in pertains to irregularities in the allocation of the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand, which is being probed by the CBI. A separate money laundering case is being probed by the ED in relation to allocation of the coal bock. The third case being probed by the CBI relates to the alleged irregularities in the allocation of Urtan North coal block in Madhya Pradesh. The CBI and the ED did not oppose the application.