Hearing in coal case involving Manmohan Singh deferred

New Delhi, May 23: A court here on Monday deferred, to September 26, the hearing in the coal block allocation case in which former prime minister Manmohan Singh was summoned.

"Proceedings in the present matter have stayed by Supreme Court. Matter be now put up on September 26," said Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Bharat Parashar.

The court was hearing a case related with the alleged irregularities in allotting Odisha Talabira II coal block to Kumar Mangalam Birla-owned Hindalco in 2005.

The apex court has also put on hold the summons against industrialist Birla, former coal secretary P.C. Parakh, D. Bhattacharya and Hindalco.

Manmohan Singh moved the apex court on March 25 last year, challenging the summons issued by trial court on March 11, 2015. The court summoned him, Birla and Parakh after it rejected closure report filed by the CBI.

IANS