The Supreme Court exonerated former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation case by quashing a 2015 trial court order that had summoned him as an accused. The bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued the order after the CBI had filed closure reports in 2014, with Singh having died in December 2024. The ruling came after his appeal remained pending for more than a decade.
The ruling corrects a politically charged prosecution lacking evidence against the UPA government.
“Selective enforcement and institutional costs of prolonged cases”
Conservative
The outcome shows the coal scam narrative was used for political mileage despite insufficient grounds.
“Separation of policy criticism from personal criminal liability”
Libertarian
Unchecked state power imposed costs on an individual even after agency closure reports.
“Weaponization of legal processes and centralized resource control risks”
Devil's Advocate
All views accept the closure reports and Court finding as conclusive while overlooking the trial court's initial assessment and structural allocation issues.
“Shared omission of timing questions, limited legal effect, and broader governance mechanics”