The Delhi High Court has called for a response from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in response to appeals made by former coal secretary H C Gupta and former public servant K S Kropha. These appeals challenge their conviction and three-year prison sentences in a case involving irregularities in coal block allocation in Chhattisgarh.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma has admitted the appeals and specified that both convicts, who were granted bail by the trial court, will remain out on bail during the appeal process. To do so, they need to provide a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each. CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema has accepted the notice. The case will be considered for a hearing at a later date.

Earlier, the trial court had convicted Gupta, Kropha, and former senior public servant K C Samria in July, awarding them three-year prison terms. They were granted bail by the trial court to allow them to challenge their conviction in the high court. Similarly, ex-Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, his son Devender, and businessman Manoj Kumar Jayaswal were also convicted and sentenced to four years in prison in the same case. The Dardas and Jayaswal were granted interim bail by the high court on July 28, having spent two days in jail. The high court had issued notice and sought CBI's response to their appeals, which challenge the conviction and sentence and seek suspension of their punishment.

JLD Yavatmal Energy Private Limited, also convicted in the case, was fined Rs 50 lakh by the trial court. The Dardas and Jayaswal were each fined Rs 15 lakh, and the other three convicts were fined Rs 20,000 each.

During Wednesday's hearing, Gupta and Kropha's counsel argued that there were no allegations of monetary gain or quid pro quo in the case. The court was informed that both convicts had already deposited the imposed fine of Rs 20,000 each. The counsel for Gupta and Kropha also submitted an application seeking the suspension of the sentence, highlighting their past convictions in other cases where they had remained on bail without arrest.