Supreme Court quashes trial court order, clears former PM Manmohan Singh in coal scam case
The Supreme Court has cleared former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation scam, quashing a trial court order that had summoned him as an accused. The apex court's decision brings a close to the long-standing legal proceedings against Singh in the case.
The case dates back to the allocation of coal blocks between 1993 and 2005. In 2013, a Delhi court had taken cognisance of the matter and summoned Singh, along with several others, as accused. Singh had challenged the order, and the Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings.
On Monday, a bench of Justices observed that there was no evidence to proceed against Singh, and the trial court had erred in taking cognisance. The court quashed the summons and closed the case.
The decision was welcomed by supporters of the former Prime Minister, who maintained that the allegations were politically motivated. The Congress party hailed the verdict as a vindication of Singh's integrity.
The coal scam, also known as Coalgate, was a major controversy during the UPA government, with allegations of irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks. Several industrialists and government officials were investigated. Singh had consistently denied any wrongdoing.
With this ruling, the legal chapter for Manmohan Singh in the Coalgate case comes to an end. The Supreme Court's order reinforces the principle that mere political responsibility cannot be equated with criminal culpability.
