Talabira II: SC dismisses SLP against Naveen Patnaik

The Supreme Court has dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP), seeking summons to be issued to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2005 Talabira II coal block allocation case. The apex court has also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner.

As the special CBI trial court had summoned six people, including then PM Dr, Manmohan Singh in the matter, the petitioner asked why Naveen Patnaik was not summoned although he wrote a letter to Dr. Singh, seeking the allocation of Talabira II coal block to Aditya Birla’s Hindalco.

From the correspondence between the PMO, Coal Ministry and Odisha Government, it was clear that the PMO had already sought reconsideration of the allocation of Talabira II coal block to Hindalco. The Odisha CM intervened only at a later stage so that the matter could be expedited in the larger interest of the state. Many did not see any merit in the allegations against Naveen Patnaik.