2 years after death, Supreme Court clears former PM Manmohan Singh in Coalgate case

The Supreme Court cleared former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Coalgate coal block allocation case, closing it nearly two years after his death in November 2024.

The case stemmed from a 2015 summons by Delhi special judge Bharat Parashar relating to the irregular allocation of the Talabira-II coal block in Odisha to Hindalco, owned by Kumar Mangalam Birla.

Singh held the coal ministry portfolio at the time of the allocation; the CBI had twice recommended closure of the case in 2014.

The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant quashed the trial court's order taking cognisance of the crime and issuing summons, citing abatement upon Singh's death.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued for removing adverse observations from the trial court's summoning order.