HC declines to stay conviction of former Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda in coal scam case

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said the wider opinion was that persons charged with crimes ought to be disqualified from contesting elections to public offices and therefore, it would not be apt to stay Koda's conviction to overcome the disqualification incurred by him.

Koda had moved the plea for stay of conviction to contest in the 2019 Jharkhand state assembly polls and the high court had reserved its verdict on his application on March 19.

"It would not be apposite to facilitate the appellant to contest elections for any public office, till he is finally acquitted," the court said.

Koda was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy, by a trial court in 2017, in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL).

Senior advocate R S Cheema and advocate Tarannum Cheema, appearing for CBI, had opposed his plea for stay of conviction.