Coal news and updates

Coal block allocation: Manmohan’s aides questioned by CBI

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s principal secretary T K A Nair and personal secretary B V R Subramanyam have been examined by the CBI in connection with the controversial allocation of the Talabira II coal block in Orissa to Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Hindalco, sources said.

Birla has earlier been examined in connection with two letters — dated May 7, 2005 and June 17, 2005 — written by him to the then PM, requesting allocation of the coal block to his firm, sources said. When contacted, a company spokesperson said, “Mr Birla was examined by the CBI long ago, even before the CBI had filed a closure report in court. There has been no questioning after that.”

Observing that there was a “concerted effort” to “manipulate” the government machinery in the 2005 allocation of the coal block to Hindalco, a special CBI court in New Delhi on December 16 had refused to accept a closure report filed in the case and asked the agency to probe the case further.

The court directed the CBI to examine Singh, who was also looking after the coal ministry, in the case. It also directed the agency to “re-examine’’ Nair and question Subramanyam, and file a progress report on January 27. Complying with the court’s directive, a CBI team examined the former prime minister at his residence a few days ago. A CBI spokesperson said it was a court monitored investigation. “Whatever the CBI has to say, it will submit to the court in the next hearing,” the spokesperson said.

“T K A Nair has been examined by way of a questionnaire, but towards the end, he refused to answer some of the questions, expressing that he was not in a frame of mind of answering further questions. It will be appropriate if the IO examines B V R Subramanyam and re-examines T K A Nair,” the court had said.

The court had asked the probe agency to clarify why “settled procedures” on coal block allocation through the screening committee route were “not adhered” to in the case. “There are certain circumstances which need to be elaborated and explained, especially regarding the manner and the circumstances under which the matter was taken up in the PMO or under what circumstances the recommendations of the 25th screening committee were set aside even though it already stood approved,” the court had said.

It added that the allocation of the coal block to Hindalco “nullified” the screening committee recommendations “completely”. In October 2013, the CBI had lodged an FIR against Birla, former coal secretary P C Parakh, M/s Hindalco Industries Ltd and other unknown persons and officials for an offence under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Source: The Indian Express