Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed before the Supreme Court to exempt him from appearing in a Delhi court next month in connection with the mega coal scam. Mr Singh, 82, was ordered to appear in a CBI court over accusations of criminal conspiracy and corruption in the allegedly illegal award of a coal field in Odisha.  Billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla is also asked to appear on April 8. Dr Singh has not been charged with any crime, but is being investigated for criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption.

Congress party had drubbed the summons a backlash against its opposition to economic reforms that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to push through Parliament. The Congress high command has failed to acknowledge that the summons was issued by the CBI court and not by the Modi government.

In 2012, the national auditor said 1.86 lakh crores had been lost because coal mining licenses had been issued without transparency.

Judge Bharat Parashar said in the summons "a well planned conspiracy was hatched" to award Hindalco the field after Mr Birla actively lobbied Dr Singh, who was at the time acting as Coal Minister. The document does not establish which politicians or officials may have benefited but said Dr Singh's office showed "undue interest" in the matter.

By Premji