The special court today directed the CBI to record former prime minister Manmohan Singh's statement in the coal scam. It wants the CBI to file status report by January 27 in the coal blocks allocation scam case involving top industrialist KM Birla, former coal secretary P C Parakh and others.

"I desire that statements of the then coal ministerbe recorded," the special judge told CBI.

Dr Singh was holding the portfolio of the coal ministry when Birla's firm Hindalco was allocated coal blocks in Orissa's Talabira II & III in 2005.

In November, Special CBI judge Bharat Parashar asked the agency,"Don't you think examination of the then coal minister was necessary in the matter? Don't you feel the need to examine him? Don't you think his statement was necessary to present a clear picture?"