Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, son summoned in coal case

The court also summoned two senior public servants K S Kropha and K C Samria, the company JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd, its director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal and Vijay Darda’s son Devendra Darda as accused in the case. All of them have been directed to appear before the court on August 20.

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“I proceed to take cognizance of the offence under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and that of offences under Sections 120B read with Section 409/420 (criminal breach of trust/cheating) of IPC and Section 13(1)(c)/13(1)(d) of PC Act against the accused persons — M/s JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd, its director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal, Vijay Darda, Devendra Darda, H C Gupta, K S Kropha and K C Samria,” special CBI judge Bharat Parashar said.

On the alleged role of Darda, who was the chairman of Lokmat Group, the court had earlier said: “It has come on record that Vijay Darda wrote a number of letters to the PM (who was holding the coal portfolio) seeking allotment of Fatehpur (East) coal block in favour of M/s JLD. Vijay Darda at that time was a sitting Member of Parliament and he too had specifically claimed in his letters dated 18.06.07 and 06.08.07 addressed to the then PM that JLD was promoted, managed and controlled by Lokmat Group and Industrial Development Finance Company Ltd. Thus once again there was a clear misrepresentation by Darda on behalf of JLD to claim the allotment.”

On the role of Darda’s son Devendra, the court said that feedback form signed by him furnished wrong information with regard to JLD’s net worth.