Delhi High Court Reserves Order on Madhu Koda's Plea to Contest Elections

The Delhi High Court has reserved its decision on former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda's request to suspend his conviction in the coal block allocation scam. Koda seeks to run in the 2024 elections. The CBI opposed the plea, citing a previous rejection in 2020.

The Delhi High Court has reserved its order on a plea by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who is seeking a suspension of his conviction in the coal block allocation scam to enable him to contest the upcoming elections. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the order after hearing arguments from both sides.

Koda's plea stated that the elections in Jharkhand are expected in November 2024, and he would be deprived of the opportunity to contest if his conviction is not stayed. The CBI opposed the application on grounds of maintainability. Senior Advocate RS Cheema and lawyer Tarannum Cheema, representing the CBI, argued that a similar application by Koda was dismissed in May 2020.

The CBI highlighted that the earlier court had considered the need for the decriminalisation of politics and had unequivocally dismissed the application. They pointed out that Koda did not appeal the earlier judgment, allowing it to attain finality. In 2017, a Delhi Court convicted Koda of criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act, sentencing him to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs5 lakhs.

Koda was granted bail in 2018, and the fine was stayed. However, in 2020, the Delhi High Court refused an application for a stay on the order of conviction. Now, with an eye on the upcoming Jharkhand elections, Koda has approached the Delhi High Court again, seeking suspension of the conviction in light of new factual and legal developments. His plea noted that his criminal appeal has been pending since 2017, and four years have passed since the 2020 order, but the matter has not yet been listed for hearing.

(With inputs from agencies.)