In a case involving anomalies in the distribution of a coal block in Chhattisgarh, the Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim relief to industrialist Manoj Kumar Jayaswal, his son Devender, and former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda. All three men had been given four-year prison sentences.The Central Bureau of Investigation was given notice on the three men’s appeals challenging their conviction and sentence in the case, and Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma requested a response.
The high court further requested the CBI to submit a response to the defendants’ requests for the suspension of their four-year sentence.The Dardas and Jayaswal, who had been out on bail during the trial, were arrested on July 26 as soon as the trial court issued the sentence.The CBI attorney disagreed with the request to suspend the sentence and promised to submit a thorough response.The matter will be heard again by the high court on September 26.