Delhi court summons Manmohan Singh as accused in coal scam case

Manmohan Singh responds, says he has nothing to hide and the truth will come out

In a major setback to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a Delhi court has summoned him in connection with the Hindalco coal block allocation case.

The special court has also summoned industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P C Parakh. Besides these three, the court summoned M/s Hindalco, its officials Shubhendu Amitabh and D Bhattacharya as accused in the case. 

All six have been summoned by the court on April 8 under the charges of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

In a statement, Manmohan Singh said,  "Of course, I am upset but this is part of life."  

"I have always said I am open for legal scrutiny...I am sure the truth will prevail and I will get a chance to put forward my case with all the facts," Singh added.

Hindalco in a statement said that none of its officials, including its Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, have pursued any unlawful or inappropriate means for securing the allocation of the coal block, adding that it will defend its case through the legal process. 

Parakh said he was 'surprised' by the summons, adding that "the court has taken cognizance, it (any comment) amounts to contempt of court".

The case relates to alleged irregularity in allocation of Talabira-II and -III coal blocks in Odisha to Hindalco. Singh was the coal minister at the time of the allocation.

The summons comes after the special court had quashed CBI’s closure report in the case and had sought a fresh probe, examining Singh, the then principal secretary, T K A Nair and the then private secretary to the PM, B V R Subramanyam.

According to unconfirmed reports, Birla was also examined by the CBI when it had re-opened the case. However, Hindalco officials deny this.

Singh, during his examination by the CBI,  had said that Hindalco was not favoured in any manner in the allocation of Talabira-II coal block and that it was done as per prescribed procedures.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that Singh was paying for the "sin" committed by the Congress party. "Congress is responsible for bringing former PM to this threshold," he said.

"We have done nothing wrong and we have nothing to hide," said Ambika Soni, a senior Congress leader close to the Gandhis.

The Supreme Court last year scrapped nearly 214 coal block allocations made by successive governments over the past two decades. The government is now re-auctioning the fields.

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Who are the six accused summoned by the court

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Former coal secretary P C Parakh

Kumar Mangalam Birla

M/s Hindalco

Hindalco official Shubhendu Amitabh

Hindalco official D Bhattacharya