Coalscam: Court abates proceedings against Dasari Narayan Rao

NEW DELHI: A special court here has abated the proceedings against former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao in a coal scam case following his death.

75-year-old Rao, who expired on May 30, was charge sheeted by the CBI along with Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and 17 others in the case pertaining to allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block.

A memo, along with the death certificate of Rao, was filed before Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar stating that the accused had expired, which was confirmed by the prosecution advocate, V K Sharma, as well.

The CBI had alleged that Koda had favoured Jindal group firms -- Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL) -- in allocation of Jharkhand-based coal block.

All the accused have denied the allegations levelled against them and said there was no evidence to show that there was any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process.

Rao, a veteran Telugu filmmaker who had directed movies with legendary actors like N T Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao, passed away at a private hospital on May 30 after prolonged illness.

He was a member of Congress party and served as a minister in the UPA-I Government.