The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday opposed the summoning of Manmohan Singh as one of the accused in the coal scam as demanded by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda. The probe agency said no accusation can be implied on the former Prime Minister as there is no prima facie evidence against him that he favoured Naveen Jindal's Jindal Steel and Power limited while allocating coal blocks.
Special Public Prosecutor RS Cheema told Special judge Bharat Parashar there is no evidence against Manmohan which can suggest that he favoured in allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge.
Madhu Koda, the former Jharkhand Chief Minister, last month moved an application demanding the summoning of Manmohan Singh as one of the accused in the coal scam which costed Rs 1.86 lakh crore to the Indian Government.
The CBI, however, rejected his claim saying that the application does not stand any merit and it was the applicant (Madhu Koda) who rather tinkered with the allocation. This application has been moved to deviate the court from the case, said the CBI prosecutor, RS Cheema. The court has reserved the order on October 16 for delivering its order on Koda's plea.