Celebrations at Dr Manmohan Singh's home today.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the CBI on ex-PM Manmohan Singh's petition in the Coalgate case. The SC has stayed all proceedings against Manmohan and five others in the case.

The former prime minister petitioned the court challenging the summons issued to him by a special court in connection with a coal scam case.

A bench of justice V Gopala Gowda and justice C Naggapan also took up petitions filed by industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, Hindalco Industries managing director Debnarayan Bhattacharya and former coal secretary P C Parakh, who too were summoned as accused in the same case.

The court has stayed summons against all of them. 

The special court had on March 11 issued summons to them, asking them to appear before it as accused and face trial for charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code.

The summons were based on the allegation that allocation of the Talabira-II coal block in Odisha was changed from Neyveli Lignite Corporation to a joint venture of Mahanadi coal fields, NLC and Hindalco, causing loss to the exchequer. Singh held the coal ministry portfolio at that time.