NEW DELHI: Congress functionary and industrialist Naveen Jindal was the “central figure” around whom the entire conspiracy to illegally acquire the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand in 2008 revolved, said a special court on Friday while ordering framing of criminal charges against him and 14 others in the coal scam case.Jindal became the second high-profile figure to be faced with framing of charges after the conviction of brothers RS Rungta and RC Rungta of Jharkhand Ispat. The conviction of the Rungtas was the first in the coal scam cases.The court ordered framing of charges against three other public servants — Jharkhand ex-CM Madhu Koda, former MoS for coal Dasari Narayan Rao and ex-coal secretary HC Gupta.Special judge Bharat Parashar ordered all the accused, including five firms, to be put on trial for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust.A special court on Friday fixed May 11 for formally framing charges against Naveen Jindal in the Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block acquisition case. On that day, the accused can either plead guilty or claim innocence and be put on trial.The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the allocation of the coal block to Jindal group companies Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL), both accused in the case.Holding that a prima facie case was clearly made out against all the accused, the court said a facade of companies was created as a “smokescreen” to cover up the “illegal” act. The court agreed with CBI’s contention that MoS for coal Dasari Narayan Rao was paid Rs 2 crore for favouring the allocation to the Jindal group firms.The court held that Jindal did everything possible to “ensure” the blocks were allocated to his firms. “...the overall facts and circumstances prima facie show the nature of overt and covert acts on the part of accused 7, Naveen Jindal in the entire criminal conspiracy... His role has come out to be that of a central figure around whom the entire criminal conspiracy revolved,” the judge said.Calling Jindal the “common thread” which bound all others accused, the court said it was prima facie clear that no coal block could have been allotted to GSIPL “but for the criminal conspiracy hatched by Jindal roping in various other accused persons as conspirators at different points of time”. The court said there was “active collusion” between the public servants and private parties who all ensured the illegal allotment.The court said transactions were carried out among different companies to give an impression that there was no illegality involved, but it added that the manner in which they were carried out raised doubts on their “genuineness”.