The Supreme Court today rejected the plea of former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, facing prosecution in several coal block allocation cases, for holding joint trial.<br/><br/>An apex court bench dismissed the plea on the ground that the FIRs were common and the alleged offences pertained to same transaction. <br/><br/>It said there would be hotchpotch if such a prayer seeking clubbing of trials is entertained.<br/><br/>Gupta, who was the then chairman of the screening committee for allocation of coal blocks, in his plea contended<br/>that all the cases against him comprised similar charges and he cannot be tried separately.