Former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh has been summoned as an accused by a special CBI court in a coal scam case. The court has also summoned as accused Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh, M/s Hindalco and its officials Shubhendu Amitabh and D Bhattacharya for offences of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. All six accused have been directed to appear before the court on April 8. CBI, which is conducting the probe into the scam, had examined the former prime minister at his residence in January this year.
Singh was reportedly examined in connection with a case relating to allocation of Talabira II block to Hindalco when he was also holding the portfolio of coal. Reports said Singh was examined about the developments which took place in the coal ministry as well as the PMO after industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla had written two letters dated May 7, 2005 and June 17, 2005 to the then PM requesting for allocation of Talabira-II coal block to Hindalco.
