A special court today ordered framing of charges against former coal secretary H C Gupta and five others in a coal scam case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of coal block in Madhya Pradesh.

Besides Gupta, the court ordered framing of charges against two senior public servant K S Kropha and K C Samria, accused firm Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL), its Managing director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia and chartered account Amit Goyal.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar ordered to put these six accused on trial for the alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating), 409
(criminal breach of trust by public servant) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court has fixed the matter for October 14 for formal framing of charges against the accused. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block in Madhya Pradesh to KSSPL.

The court on October 13 last year had summoned them as accused after refusing to accept CBI’s closure report. The accused were earlier granted bail by the court.