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The former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed before the apex Court to exempt him from appearing in a Delhi court in connection with the infamous coal scam. Dr. Manmohan Singh, 82, was summoned to appear before a CBI court over the allegations of criminal conspiracy and corruption in the allegedly illegal awarding of a coal field in Odisha. Hindalco’s Kumar Mangalam Birla is also an accused in this case. Dr Singh has not been charged with any crime, but is being investigated for criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption.

As usual Congress party had termed the summons as a backlash against its opposition to economic reforms that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to push through Parliament. But, the Congress high command has failed to accept that the summons was issued by the CBI court and not by the Modi government.

In 2012, the national auditor said 1.86 lakh crores had been lost because coal mining licenses had been issued without transparency.

Judge Bharat Parashar said in the summons "a well planned conspiracy was hatched" to award Hindalco the field after Mr Birla actively lobbied Dr Singh, who was at the time acting as Coal Minister. The document does not establish which politicians or officials may have benefited but said Dr Singh's office showed "undue interest" in the matter.

By Premji