The Special CBI court on Friday granted bail to Congress leader and Industrialist Naveen Jindal, former Coal Minister Dasari Narayan Rao, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and seven others in a case relating to the allocation of coal blocks at Amarkonda Murgadangal in Birbhum in Jharkhand.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar granted them bail after Mr. Jindal’s counsel told the court that he had co-operated with the police investigation and appeared whenever they summoned him. And, that there was no apprehension that he would abscond or try to flee.

The lawyers of the remaining nine accused, also told the court that there was no reason to doubt that either of them posed a flight risk, and that none of them had to be arrested during the investigation. Opposing the bail, the public prosecutor said all the accused were people of power and money, influential politicians and industrialists, with most of the witnesses being their employees. They posed a risk of trying to influence the witnesses or tampering with evidence.