Coal scam: SC stays summons issued to Manmohan Singh, issues notice to CBI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the summons to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and five others by a trial court over the coal scam.

The apex court also issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), asking it to file a response in three weeks.

"Till the Supreme Court decides for itself the substantial issues of law, the summon (against former PM Manmohan Singh and others) stands stayed," said lawyer Ashwini Kumar.

Senior lawyer KTS Tulsi said the case will be a milestone of the criminal law principles.

"The case is going to be milestone of criminal law principles, they have to be restated so that there is clarity and no confusion. The CBI has been asked to file a response and no proceeding can be conducted till the Supreme Court decides," he said.

Manmohan Singh had on March 25 filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the summons issued to him by a trial court in connection with the coal blocks allocation scam.

Upset over the summons issued to him the former prime minister had also stated he was sure that the truth would prevail in the matter.

A special CBI court in Delhi had summoned the former prime minister, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh, industrialist Kumar Manglam Birla and three others in the coal blocks allocation case on March 11.

The court summoned them on alleged charges of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. They were asked to appear before the court on April 8.

The case pertains to the allocation of the Talabira II coal block in Odisha to M/s Hindalco in 2005, when Dr. Singh was holding the coal portfolio.