Coal scam: Congress defends Manmohan after court summon

"The Supreme Court, which examined the allocation of coal blocks from 1993 to 2009, did not pass even a whisper of a stricture against the former prime minister or any other functionary of the former UPA Government," Tewari told media.

"If at all, a trial court has come to a certain conclusion, it would have to be seen as to what are the facts and circumstances which have warranted that conclusion. And more often that not, you have subordinate court decisions which are regularly challenged, which are stayed, overturned, quashed by superior courts. So, after examining the order of the lower court, we will take an appropriate call or former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's legal team would take an appropriate call," said he.

Singh has been summoned as an accused along with five others in a case.

The court has also named Hindalco, its chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, and former coal secretary PC Parakh among the six accused.

They have all been summoned to appear in court on April 8.

The CBI has levelled some strong charges against the former PM including  criminal conspiracy, corruption and breach of trust.

The CBI had in its final report in January, stated that there was no prosecutable evidence against anyone. The special court has now rejected the report, while taking note of all statements and evidence to name six accused.

Reacting to the development, BJP's Prakash Javadekar told media: "Our stand is vindicated. It is a scam of the Congress government. The Congress should now apologise to the entire country and to Manmohan Singh."

Parakh however refused to comment anything now as he felt his statement would amount to "Contempt of Court."

Singh has already been questioned once in the case. He was examined on January 18 at his Motilal Nehru Marg residence in New Delhi.

CBI had earlier booked Birla, Parakh and other Hindalco officials under various sections of the Indian penal Code, including criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct on part of government officials.

But surprisingly, a year after, the CBI had filed a closure report in the case, giving clean-chit to Birla and others including Parakh.

CBI in its report has said that it has found "no evidence of criminality" against the Chairman of Aditya Birla Group.

It can be mentioned that in August last year, the Supreme Court had cancelled nearly 200 coal block allocations.

The NDA government is now auctioning those coal fields.