Above: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda gives alms to a beggar as he arrives to appear at the special CBI Court in connection with multi-crore money laundering case, in Ranchi (file picture). Photo: UNI

The Court also grants interim bail till the next hearing

The Delhi High Court on January 2 stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

The bench of Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda and granted him interim bail till January 22 with a direction that he will not leave the country.

During the course of hearing, CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema opposed the appeal and stay on fine but did not oppose the interim bail granted to Koda till January 22, 2018. Earlier, the trial court had granted bail to Koda till January 18.

The matter was posted for next hearing to January 22, 2018.

The bench was hearing the plea of Koda who has sought challenged the December 13 and December 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively by a trial court which found him guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd. In his plea, he seeks suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

—India Legal Bureau