Coal Scam: Supreme Court Tells Delhi HC to Decide Appeals in 4 Weeks, No Stay on Trials
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Delhi High Court not to grant any interim stay on trials in coal block allocation scam cases and to decide pending appeals of accused persons within four weeks, ensuring that their legal rights are not adversely affected.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana passed the order after noting that in some coal scam cases, the accused have approached the high court for relief, while in others they have moved the Supreme Court.
"No interim stay can be granted by the Delhi High Court. However, keeping in view the fact that non-stay of the trial may prejudice the rights of the accused, the high court is directed to decide such petitions preferably in four weeks," the bench ordered.
The bench clarified that it had not expressed any opinion on the merits of any case.
The development comes a month after the Supreme Court relaxed its nearly 12-year-old order that had mandated all appeals arising from orders of the special court in coal scam cases to be filed directly before the Supreme Court. The court had then said that both prosecution and accused can now approach the Delhi High Court challenging acquittals or convictions recorded by the special judge.
In 2014, the Supreme Court had quashed the allocation of 214 coal blocks made by the Centre between 1993 and 2010, following public interest litigations, and ordered trial by a special CBI judge. The court had also directed that all appeals against orders on framing of charges, quashing of cases, and bail petitions passed by the special court must be filed only before the Supreme Court, not the Delhi High Court.
This restriction was imposed to prevent accused persons from delaying trials in coal scam cases. Several accused, aggrieved by this directive, had repeatedly sought modification, arguing that the loss of one appellate forum against trial court orders was prejudicial to them.
On December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court had agreed to consider pleas seeking modification of its earlier orders that barred high courts from hearing appeals in cases related to alleged illegal coal block allocations. The Supreme Court passed two orders between 2014 and 2017 restricting accused persons from approaching the high court, with the intent of expediting trial processes and preventing delays caused by accused seeking relief in high courts.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed 57 cases in the coal scam. Several consequential money laundering cases have also been registered in connection with the matter.
