New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday to quash the order by the special CBI court in the coal scam.
Singh has asked the top court to exempt him from appearing in a Delhi court in connection with the mega coal scam.
On March 11, Singh was summoned as an accused in a coal scam case pertaining to allocation of Talabira-II coal block in Odisha in 2005.
A day later, Congress president Sonia Gandhi with other top party leaders marched to Singh’s residence in a show of support, a day after he was summoned as an accused by a special court in the coal scam.
Sending a strong message to the Opposition, Gandhi said, “Dr Manmohan Singh is a man of integrity. We will fight this legally. I am sure he (Manmohan Singh) will be vindicated.”
Earlier, a visibly upset Singh had said he was open to legal scrutiny in the matter that pertains to 2005 when he also held the coal portfolio.
“I hope in a fair trial I will prove my innocence,” said 83-year-old Dr Singh. “I am sure the truth will prevail and I will get a chance to put forward my case,” he had said.
Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, ex-coal secretary P C Parakh and three others were also summoned as accused by the special court and have been asked to appear before it on April 8.
