The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi High Court not to grant any interim stays on ongoing trials in the coal block allocation scam cases, while instructing it to decide pending petitions from the accused preferably within four weeks.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana issued the ruling after noting that litigants had concurrently approached both the apex court and the high court for judicial relief. The bench observed that while trials must proceed without interruption, the high court should dispose of the petitions expeditiously so that the legal rights of the accused are not adversely affected.
Clarification on Case Merits
The top court clarified that it has not evaluated or expressed any opinion regarding the merits of any individual case. The direction comes shortly after the Supreme Court modified a nearly 12-year-old procedural order last month, allowing both the prosecution and the defense to challenge trial court convictions or acquittals before the Delhi High Court.
Evolution of Judicial Framework
The underlying legal proceedings originate from a landmark 2014 verdict in which the apex court quashed 214 coal block allocations granted by the central government between 1993 and 2010 following public interest litigation. To handle the matter, the top court established a special CBI trial court and issued directives between 2014 and 2017 restricting high courts from entertaining challenges against orders regarding bail, charge-framing, or case-quashing.
Concerns Over Appellate Rights
The restrictions were initially put in place to prevent accused individuals from stalling trial proceedings through intermediate appeals. However, several defendants consistently petitioned the top court for modifications, arguing that losing an appellate level severely prejudiced their defense. On December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court agreed to reconsider the restrictions, ultimately leading to the recent procedural easing.
In total, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered 57 cases related to the alleged coal block allocation irregularities, alongside numerous derivative money laundering investigations.
