The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday told a special court to frame bribery charges against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal and others in connection with a Jharkhand coal block allocation case, PTI reported.

“The charges for offer and acceptance of bribe to the public servant described and punishable under Section 7 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act should be framed,” CBI’s lawyer VK Sharma said.

Justice Bharat Parashar asked the accused to submit their pleas by February 16 before he announces his verdict in the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block allocation case.

In April, 2016, the court had ordered the framing of charges against Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao (now deceased), former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta and 11 others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, PTI reported. The bribery charge was not framed added at that time.

The investigating agency had also filed another charge against Jindal and others for giving incorrect facts to secure a coal block in Madhya Pradesh.