Supreme Court Directs Delhi High Court to Expedite Coal Scam Pleas Within Four Weeks

The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi High Court not to grant any stay on trials related to the coal block allocation scam. Additionally, the apex court has asked the high court to decide pending appeals of the accused within a four-week window to ensure their rights are not adversely affected.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued the directives after noting that various accused individuals had approached either the high court or the top court for relief regarding the ongoing cases.

"No interim stay can be granted by the Delhi High Court. However, keeping in view the fact that non-stay of the trial may prejudice the rights of the accused, the high court is directed to decide such petitions preferably in four weeks," the bench stated, adding that it has not expressed any opinion on the merits of any specific case.

This development follows a decision last month where the top court relaxed its nearly 12-year-old order. Previously, the apex court mandated that all appeals arising from orders of the special court in coal block allocation scam cases had to be filed directly in the Supreme Court. The recent relaxation allows both the prosecution and the accused to approach the Delhi High Court to challenge acquittals or convictions recorded by the special judge.

The legal proceedings trace back to 2014, when the Supreme Court quashed 214 coal blocks allocated by the Centre between 1993 and 2010 following public interest litigations (PILs). At that time, the court ordered trials to be conducted by a special CBI judge and directed that all appeals regarding charges, quashing of cases, and bail petitions be filed exclusively before the apex court to prevent trial delays.

Over the years, several accused individuals sought modifications to this restriction, arguing that the loss of an appellate forum prejudiced their legal standing. On December 4, 2024, the top court acknowledged it would consider these modification pleas. Between 2014 and 2017, the apex court had issued two orders restricting high court interventions to expedite trial processes and prevent procedural delays.

To date, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed 57 cases connected to the coal scam, alongside several consequential money laundering cases.

"Regulatory clarity and judicial efficiency are fundamental for maintaining a stable business and legal environment in the country. When long-standing legal matters involving major sectors like coal allocation see structured timelines for resolution, it provides predictability for the broader economic ecosystem. Ensuring that judicial processes move forward without indefinite stays helps clear systemic backlogs, which ultimately contributes to a more transparent and reliable framework for industry and governance." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes