• Coal block allocation: chronology of events
  • July 14, 1992

    A number of coal blocks, which were not in the production plan of Coal India Ltd and the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), were identified and a list of 143 blocks were prepared.

  • 1993 to 2010

    A total of 70 coal mines or blocks were allocated between 1993 and 2005, 53 in 2006, 52 in 2007, 24 in 2008, 16 in 2009 and one in 2010. In all, 216 block were allocated between 1993 and 2010, out of which 24 were taken away at different points in time, effectively leaving the total number of allocated blocks at 194.

  • March 2012

    CAG’s draft report accuses govt of ‘inefficient’ allocation of coal blocks 2004—2009; estimates windfall gains to allottees at Rs 10.7 lakh crore.

  • May 29, 2012

    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offers to give up his public life if found guilty in the scam * May 31, 2012: CVC, based on a complaint of two BJP MPs — Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir — directs a CBI enquiry

  • June 2012

    Coal ministry forms an inter—ministerial panel to review the process of allocation of blocks and to decide either on de—allocations or forfeiture of bank guarantees. Since then, the government has taken back about 80 coal fields while bank guarantees in 42 cases have been forfeited.

  • August 2012

    CAG’s final report, tabled in Parliament, tones down loss to exchequer figure to Rs 1.86 lakh crore.

  • August 25, 2012

    Govt claims CAG’s presumptive loss theory flawed, no mining yet.

  • August 27, 2012

    PM says CAG flawed; “The observations of the CAG are clearly disputable”

  • September 6, 2012

    PIL in SC seeks cancellation of 194 coal block allotments Supreme Court begins monitoring the CBI probe into the coal field allocations

  • March 2013

    The Apex Court asks CBI not to share probe details with govt

  • April 23, 2013

    Standing Committee on Coal and Steel, in a report tabled in Parliament, says coal blocks distributed between 1993—2008 done in unauthorized manner. Says allotment of mines where production not started should be cancelled.

  • April 26, 2013

    CBI Director Ranjit Sinha submits affidavit saying investigation report shared with law minister Ashwani Kumar.

  • May 10, 2013

    Ashwani Kumar resigns.

  • June 11, 2013

    CBI registers first information report (FIR) against Naveen Jindal and Dasari Narayana Rao.

  • October 16, 2013

    CBI files an FIR against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary PC Parakh.

  • July 2014

    The Supreme Court sets up a special CBI court to try all coal field allocation cases.

  • August 2014

    The CBI decides to close its case against Birla and Parakh.

  • September 1, 2014

    A special court asks the CBI to clarify whether “rule of law” was followed in allocation of coal blocks to top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Hindalco.

  • September 12, 2014

    Special court asks the CBI as to what was the “hurry” in filing a closure report in the coal blocks allocation case in which it had earlier lodged an FIR against top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others.

  • September 22, 2014

    CBI seeks time to reply to court's query on closure report.

  • September 24, 2014

    Supreme Court quashes allocation of 214 coal blocks.

  • October 2014

    Government decides to e-auction coal mines.

  • October 21, 2014

    CBI files revised closure report in K. M. Birla case.

  • November 10, 2014

    The Supreme Court-appointed special public prosecutor submits before Special CBI Judge that the court can take cognisance of the closure report as there was prima facie evidence.

  • November 25, 2014

    The CBI informed the special court that it was not permitted to question former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The investigating agency also said it wasn't necessary.

  • December 12, 2014

    The Lok Sabha passed a bill which provided for fresh auction of 204 coal blocks de-allocated by the Supreme Court.

  • December 17, 2014

    Observing that “a concerted effort was being made to manipulate the entire government machinery so as to protect the interest of M/s. Hindalco,’’ a Special Court ordered the CBI to examine former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

  • December 17, 2014

    A special court asked for further investigation into Hindalco Industries, rejecting an earlier report from the federal police that said the probe was likely to be closed.

  • December 22, 2014

    The CBI told a special court that it has forwarded a request to the competent authority to consider granting sanction to prosecute two public servants who have been summoned as accused in a coal blocks allocation scam case.

  • January 20, 2015

    CBI records the statement of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

  • January 27, 2015

    CBI files the progress report of its further investigation in a sealed cover before a special court in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case allegedly involving former Coal Secretary P.C. Parakh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others.

  • February 20, 2015

    CBI wraps up investigation.

  • March 11, 2015

    Special court summons former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Kumar Mangalam Birla and P.C. Parakh as accused.

  • March 25, 2015

    Manmohan Singh moves Supreme Court against summon in coal scam case.

  • April 1, 2015

    Supreme Court stays trial court order summoning Manmohan Singh.

  • September 28, 2015

    CBI against summoning Manmohan Singh.

  • October 1, 2015

    Coal Secretary kept Manmohan in the dark, says court.

  • October 7, 2015

    Special bench will hear Manmohan's plea, says the Supreme Court.

  • October 14, 2015

    Charges framed against former Coal Secretary H. C. Gupta, 5 others