Coal Scam Case: Supreme Court Accepts CBI Closure Report, Closes Case Against Late PM Manmohan Singh
SC accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) decision to close criminal proceedings against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Talabira-II coal block allocation case, setting aside a 2015 trial court order that had summoned him as an accused.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) closure report in the Talabira-II coal block allocation case, formally clearing former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh of criminal allegations nearly two years after his death. The verdict brings an end to a legal battle that began over a decade ago after a trial court summoned Singh in 2015 despite the CBI concluding that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him.
Supreme Court Accepts CBI's Findings
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant accepted the CBI's closure report and set aside the 2015 order of a special CBI court that had summoned Dr. Singh as an accused in the case. The apex court held that there was no justification for rejecting the investigating agency's conclusion that no criminal case was made out against the former Prime Minister. 'I Will Commit Suicide': Ex-CEC SY Quraishi Recalls Manmohan Singh's Emotional Reaction Over EC's Concerns (Watch).
The decision effectively closes all criminal proceedings against Dr. Singh in the Talabira-II coal block allocation matter and removes the legal basis of the earlier summons.
What Was the Case About?
The case related to the 2005 allocation of the Talabira-II coal block in Odisha during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. In 2015, a special CBI court summoned Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Coal Secretary P.C. Parakh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others after rejecting the CBI's closure report.
The CBI, however, had consistently maintained that its investigation did not find sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Dr. Singh or the other accused in the matter.
Why Did the Supreme Court Hear the Case?
Although Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away in December 2024, the Supreme Court continued hearing the appeal to determine whether the 2015 summoning order should remain on record. By accepting the CBI's closure report, the court posthumously cleared the former Prime Minister of the allegations linked to the case. When Manmohan Singh Came Out Sharply Against PM Narendra Modi During 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
The Talabira-II case was one of several investigations arising from the wider coal block allocation controversy, which examined allocations made before the introduction of competitive auctions. The controversy led to multiple investigations and legal proceedings after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) raised concerns over the allocation process.
While several cases were investigated, the CBI maintained in the Talabira-II matter that there was no prosecutable evidence against Dr. Manmohan Singh. The Supreme Court's latest ruling formally accepts that conclusion, bringing the proceedings against the late former Prime Minister to a close.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 29, 2026 02:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
