The life of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has always been considered spotless from political and social point of view. He was seen as an accomplished economist and a respected politician whose tenure is considered crucial for India’s economic progress. However, there came a tough phase in his quiet and simple life when he was summoned as an accused in a coal mine allocation case.
Supreme Court’s intervention and Manmohan Singh’s stand
In 2015, Dr Singh faced court proceedings over alleged irregularities in coal mine allocation. But the Supreme Court intervened and stayed the lower court order. Singh questioned the need for mandatory sanction to prosecute public officials in this case and categorically denied any crime in the coal mine allocation.
Disputes and legal process in coal mine allocation
Dr. Manmohan Singh had challenged in the Supreme Court the order of the lower court in which he was summoned as an accused in the allotment of Talabira-2 coal mine to Hindalco. In the appeal he argued that the allegation of any kind of corruption in his decision was baseless and it was a matter related to government decision making process.
The petition stated:
- It is necessary to analyze the interrelationship between government actions and prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- There is no allegation of any kind of transaction.
- The matter is entirely based on government decision making process.
Incident Details: Summons and Charges
On 11 March 2015, trial court judge Bharat Parashar, while rejecting the CBI’s closure report, summoned Dr Singh and others on 8 April 2015. At that time, Dr. Singh also held the charge of the Coal Ministry.
The court said Singh had informed Coal Secretary H.C. Acted on the recommendation of the inquiry committee headed by Gupta. Judge Parashar made it clear that Singh had no reason to believe that Gupta had recommended any non-compliant private firm for the mine allocation. Gupta was found guilty of misleading Singh.
Court’s comments: Prime Minister’s responsibility and process
The court emphasized in its order that:
- Holding the charge of the Coal Ministry shows the importance of the ministry.
- It was natural to rely on the procedures of the Coal Ministry to verify the eligibility and completeness of the applications.
- No official pointed out the error in the process before the file reached the Prime Minister.
Manmohan Singh’s perspective and his image
Dr. Singh always emphasized that his decisions were transparent and based on honesty. He denied the allegations, saying that he was not involved in any type of crime. His case also raised the question of whether such senior public officials should be dragged into court proceedings without sufficient grounds.
