NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, in its order, accepted the CBI's decision to close the coal scam case against the late former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
“We are satisfied that there were no compelling reasons for the learned sessions judge to turn down the closure reports by the CBI and to take cognizance. Consequently, we allow the SLP and set aside the impugned orders...and close the matter on merits," said a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana.
While setting aside the orders of the special court that had issued summons to Singh in 2015, the Court in its order held that there were no cogent reasons to discard the CBI's closure reports or take cognisance against him (Dr Singh).
The decision of the apex court comes more than 18 months after Singh passed away on December 26, 2024.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Singh, told the bench that the matter may be disposed of with remarks against him being effaced.
The proceedings stemmed from the allocation of coal blocks to Hindalco, allegedly against the Screening Committee’s recommendation. On April 1, 2015, the apex court had stayed the summons. Sibal had then argued that the decision was purely administrative and there was no illegality in allotting coal blocks to a private party.
Heavily relying on and lending credence to the CBI's closure report, the top court has now accepted the CBI’s findings and close the case.