The Special CBI Court hearing the infamous Coal scam has refused to include former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an accused in the case. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar today dismissed the plea of ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda seeking to summon Mr Singh as an additional accused. CBI is examining conspiracy angle in allocation of a Coal block to Naveen Jindal Group firm. The agency had argued in the court that records do not reflect that the former Prime Minister, who held the Coal portfolio at that time, had any complicity with any accused in any manner.<br/><br/>Koda had contended that it couldn't be said that the then Prime Minister was not aware of all the facts. If file of the matter was said to be routed through then Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao, who is an accused, it cannot be surmised that Mr Singh was one of the conspirators.<br/><br/>Besides Dr Manmohan Singh, Koda had also sought summoning of Mr Anand Swaroop, then Secretary Energy and Mr Jai Shankar Tiwari, then Secretary Mines and Geology as additional accused in the case. However, CBI had told the court that they are important prosecution witnesses in the case and rather it was Mr Koda who had tinkered with recommendations.<br/><br/>Besides Mr Koda and Mr Rao, CBI had charge-sheeted industrialist Mr Naveen Jindal, former Coal Secretary H C Gupta and 11 others, including five firms in the case.<br/><br/>The case pertains to alleged irregularities in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal Coal block to Jindal group firms – Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd (GSIPL).