Coal scam: Delhi court allows Naveen Jindal to go abroad for 20 days

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted permission to Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, who is accused in three cases related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks, to travel abroad from February 1 to 20.

He is a key accused in multiple cases involving coal block allocations, with one case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and another by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

These cases revolve around allegations of irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks.

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj allowed Jindal’s application seeking to travel to the US, UK, Mozambique, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, and Venezuela taking into account his previous travel history and his consistent return to India to face trial within the prescribed time frame.

The judge observed that, out of the three cases, only one matter being probed by the CBI was recording prosecution evidence. The judge also directed the accused to furnish a fixed deposit of Rs 1 crore and to not tamper with evidence or try to influence any witness.

Jindal had undertaken not to dispute his identity and not to question the legitimacy of proceedings conducted in his absence.

In October last year, the judge had allowed Jindal to travel to Oman, the UAE, Guinea, Venezuela, the US, the UK, Poland, and the Czech Republic on the same grounds.