New Delhi, July 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the 2015 order summoning former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for trial in a coal block allocation case, holding that there were no valid grounds to reject the closure reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that had cleared him of wrongdoing.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana allowed the appeal filed by Dr Singh and quashed the order of the Special CBI Court at Patiala House Courts, which had taken cognisance against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Special Judge had, on March 11, 2015, rejected the CBI’s closure reports and summoned Dr Singh in connection with the allocation of a coal block to Hindalco.
The apex court, after examining the CBI’s reports, said there were no “cogent reasons” for setting them aside and proceeding against the former Prime Minister.
“We have gone through both the closure reports filed by the CBI with the able assistance of learned senior counsels for the parties,” the Bench observed in its order.
The court further said that considering the legal principles governing acceptance or rejection of investigation reports, there was no justification to overturn the CBI’s findings and summon Dr Singh for trial.
Dr Singh, who passed away in December 2024, had challenged the trial court’s order despite the CBI submitting two closure reports in his favour in the case related to the allocation of a coal block to Hindalco.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Dr Singh, told the court that although the matter could technically have ended after his demise, examining the legality of the trial court’s order was necessary as it contained adverse observations against him.
Earlier, in April 2015, the Supreme Court had stayed the summons issued to Dr Singh, observing that the matter involved important questions of law, including issues related to provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
With Wednesday’s order, the criminal proceedings arising from the coal block allocation case against the former Prime Minister stand concluded.
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