Bhubaneswar, April 9: The Delhi High Court has granted a stay on the conviction of former Union minister Dilip Ray in a coal scam case, clearing the path for his participation in the forthcoming Odisha assembly and parliamentary elections.

Ray had been sentenced to three years of imprisonment on October 26, 2020, in connection with irregularities related to the allocation of the Brahmadiha coal block in Jharkhand's Giridih district to CTL in 1999.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in response to Ray's application seeking a stay on his conviction, emphasized the potential irreversible consequences if Ray were to be acquitted at a later stage without the stay. The court stated that denying his prayer would result in irreversible damage to his political career and his aspiration to serve his constituency.

The high court clarified that Ray's conviction in the case would remain stayed throughout the appeal process against his conviction and sentence by the trial court.

Ray, aged 71, who served as Minister of State (coal) in the previous Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, expressed his desire to contest the upcoming Odisha Assembly elections, highlighting that it might be his final opportunity to serve the people.

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