File photo of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (AFP photo)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda's plea seeking summoning of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and two others as additional accused in the coal scam case will be heard on September 2, a Special Court today said.
Former parliamentarian Naveen Jindal and others were earlier chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case.
The charges in the case are set to framed from October 5 to October 8.
During the hearing, the counsel appearing for former Coal Secretary H C Gupta also moved an application seeking dropping of proceedings against him on account of lack of sanction to try him for the alleged offences in the case.
The court fixed Mr Gupta's application for hearing on September 3.
Mr Koda's counsel also said that his plea for summoning the former Prime Minister, who was also the Coal Minister at that time, and two others as additional accused in the case, should be heard before the stage of arguments on framing of charges.
"In view of the submissions made by the defence counsel, the matter is now adjourned for arguments on applications moved by accused Number 8 (Mr Koda) and 9 (Mr Gupta) for September 2 and 3 and the matter thereafter be fixed for arguments on framing of charges from October 5 to 8," the judge said.
Mr Jindal, Mr Koda, Mr Gupta and 12 others were chargesheeted by CBI in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand to two Jindal group companies, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL).