A special CBI court has acquitted former Rajya Sabha member Vijay Darda and his son Devendra Darda in a coal block allocation case, bringing an end to a full-fledged trial that spanned 11 years. The Special Coal Scam Court at RADC, New Delhi, presided over by Special Judge Sunena Sharma, acquitted all accused in the case titled CBI vs Manoj Kumar Jayaswal & Ors. Those cleared of all charges include Vijay Darda, Devendra Darda, Manoj Kumar Jayaswal, M/s AMR Iron and Steel Private Limited, and former coal secretary H. C. Gupta.
The case stemmed from the first chargesheet filed by the CBI in connection with the coal block allocation matters. The prosecution had alleged that M/s AMR Iron and Steel Private Limited submitted false information in its application to the Ministry of Coal to secure allocation of the Bandar Coal Block, allegedly in conspiracy with H.C. Gupta. It was further claimed that Vijay Darda, then a sitting Member of Parliament from Maharashtra, had written letters to the Prime Minister’s Office recommending allocation of the coal block to the company. The prosecution also alleged a quid pro quo arrangement, stating that entities linked to Manoj Kumar Jayaswal transferred around ₹24.6 crore to a company owned by Vijay Darda and Devendra Darda.
However, after examining the evidence and testimonies, the court found no evidence to support these allegations. During the trial, it emerged that there was no evidence to establish any false or dishonest intent in the company’s application or feedback form. Records showed that all relevant information was already available with authorities during the allocation process, and no witness corroborated claims of inducement or deception. The court also noted that the alleged ₹24.6 crore transactions were not substantiated, and no link was established between the payments, the coal block allocation, or the letters written by Vijay Darda. Additionally, there was no evidence to suggest that the letters influenced the allocation decision. With these findings, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, or misconduct, resulting in the acquittal of all accused persons.