Reporter's Diary: The Day Manmohan Singh Challenged CBI Summons In Top Court

The relief for Dr Manmohan Singh, who led the UPA government for a decade in one of the most high-profile criminal cases, came to day from the Supreme Court. As the judges declared that there were "no cogent reasons to set aside the closure reports filed by the CBI", this reporter was reminded of the day the former Prime Minister had challenged a CBI court's summons against him. 

It was the morning of April 1, 2015, and the Supreme Court was witnessing unusual activity. Dr Singh's challenge to the summons issued to him as an accused in the coal allocation case were to be heard.

Before the hearing began, there was news that two of his daughters would be present in the courtroom during the proceedings. But there was a hitch and this reporter and a colleague rushed to find out the details.

It appeared that both daughters had reached the court premises, but the security officials would not allow the SPG personnel assigned to them to enter. After some discussion, it was decided that a Delhi Police DCP would personally escort them inside under his security supervision.

Amid tight security, Dr. Singh's daughters - Upinder Singh and Daman Singh - were taken to Court Room No. 9 and seated in the visitors' gallery at the back.

The hearing began before a bench comprising Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice C Nagappan. 

A legal team led by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, argued Dr Singh's case. After a hearing that lasted around 30 minutes, the Supreme Court stayed the summons issued by the CBI's special coal court.

As soon as the order was pronounced, a sense of relief and happiness was visible on the faces of Dr. Singh's daughters. Although reporters tried to speak with them, they declined to comment. 

They were later escorted out of the court premises under police security and subsequently returned to their SPG security cover.

The case remained pending before the Supreme Court for several years. Manmohan Singh died in 2024. 

Nearly 11 years later, on July 29, 2026, a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana gave the former Prime Minister relief in the coal allocation case by ending the proceedings against him.

"We have gone through both the closure reports filed by the CBI... we are satisfied that there were no cogent reasons to set aside the closure reports filed by the CBI and take cognisance," the court said.

"Consequently, we allow the appeal and set aside the impugned judgment dated 11 March 2015 and the consequential order summoning the appellant to face trial," the judges said.

Speaking to NDTV, senior advocate and Member of Parliament Kapil Sibal said, "lt is a great day for a noble soul. He was persecuted for political reasons, which shows that the system can sometimes inflict grave injustice on an honourable man".