SC closes coal block allocation case against ex-PM Manmohan Singh
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Wednesday closed criminal proceedings against former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation case. The court accepted closure reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2014, giving Singh a clean chit. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that there was no "sufficient material or good reason" to proceed with a corruption case against him.
Case review
No compelling reason for trial judge to reject reports: SC
With the ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed a trial court's order that had rejected the CBI's closure reports and summoned Singh to face trial.
"Having regard to the relevant parameters consistently laid down by this court on acceptance of reports of investigating agency, we are satisfied that there was no reason for the learned judge to turn down the closure reports of the CBI and take cognisance," the bench said.
Case conclusion
Case pertains to allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha
Singh passed away on December 26, 2024, but the Supreme Court decided to examine the legality of the trial court's order instead of dismissing the appeal as infructuous.
"Due to the unfortunate demise of the appellant, this appeal could be disposed of as infructuous. But... we have gone through both closure reports filed by the CBI," the bench observed.
Case
Case pertained to the allocation of Talabira-II coal block
The case pertained to the allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha in 2005, when Singh was holding the coal portfolio.
The former Prime Minister had questioned the lack of the mandated sanction for prosecuting public officials like himself and denied any criminality in his decision concerning the coal block allocation.
Along with Singh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary PC Parakh were also summoned by a special court in connection with this allocation.
Legal arguments
Singh's plea challenged special court's summons
Sibal had earlier argued that there was nothing illegal in Singh allotting coal blocks to Hindalco against the recommendation of the Screening Committee.
"It is a purely administrative decision. What is illegal in it?" Sibal had said.
The SC was told the special court had issued summons to Singh despite two closure reports by the CBI.
Following this, the top court had stayed the proceedings against Singh.
Today, Singh's plea challenging the summons was allowed and the case closed.