2nd conviction in coal scam: Court convicts RSPL, 3 top officials

New Delhi: A special court on Tuesday convicted Rathi Steel and Power Ltd (RSPL) and its three officials in a case pertaining to irregularities in allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh to the firm.

Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar held the firm and its officials -- Managing Director Pradeep Rathi, Chief Executive Officer Udit Rathi and AGM Kushal Aggarwal -- guilty of offences including cheating (section 420) and criminal conspiracy (section 120-B) of the IPC.

"I am holding you all guilty," the judge said and ordered that the convicts be taken into custody. The court has put up the matter for hearing on arguments on sentence for later in the day.

The court had earlier framed charges against RSPL and its three officials for the alleged offence of criminal conspiracy read with cheating under the IPC, observing that they had conspired and furnished wrong information to get coal block and misappropriated nationalised natural resources.

The three accused were earlier granted bail after they had appeared in court pursuant to summons.

CBI had charge sheeted RSPL and Udit Rathi as accused for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

All the accused had denied the charges against them.