Coalgate: Cong's Jindal, Dasari to clarify on summoning ex-PM

The special court said it has to see whether all other accused are supporting or opposing the plea

Congress leaders Naveen Jindal and Dasari Narayan Rao and others will have to clarify to a special court whether they support or oppose ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda's plea seeking summoning of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as accused in a coal scam case.

"If Koda's plea is allowed, it will lead to a joint trial with the accused who are here and the persons who are sought to be summoned. We have to see whether all other accused are supporting or opposing the plea," special public prosecutor (SPP) R S Cheema today told Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, who agreed with his submission.

"I think what the SPP is saying is correct. All accused should file their response on it," the judge said and asked them to file reply on September 21, the next date of hearing.

When the counsel for one of the accused in the case told the court that he cannot comment on Koda's plea, the judge said, "I am not asking you to give your comment but to file your response whether you support or oppose the plea."

The judge asked Koda to supply the copy of his application to all the other accused.

Cheema's submission came when he started his arguments on Koda's plea and said that others accused, including former Congress MP Naveen Jindal and Rao, then minister of state for coal in UPA-I, should clarify their stand on the plea.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand to two Jindal group companies, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL).

Koda, Jindal, Rao and 12 others, including five companies, were chargesheeted by the CBI in the case earlier.

The court was hearing Koda's plea seeking to summon Singh as an additional accused along with Anand Swaroop, the then Secretary (Energy), and Jai Shankar Tiwari, the then Secretary (Mines and Geology).