Coalgate Scam Court Orders CBI to Record Statement of Ex.PM Manmohan Singh

Coalgate Scam Court Orders CBI to Record Statement of Ex.PM Manmohan Singh

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held the coal portfolio in 2005.

The court passed the order in a case in which an FIR was lodged against Birla, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh and others relating to allocation of Talabira II and III coal blocks in Odisha in 2005 to Hindalco.

Manmohan Singh was heading the Coal Ministry when Birla's firm Hindalco was allocated Talabira II & III coal blocks in 2005.

A special CBI court directed the CBI to examine former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over its probe into the allocation of the Talabira-II coal block to Hindalco in 2005 that involved top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla.

CBI has filed a closure report but Court ordered CBI to probe the matter further

Besides Manmohan Singh, the court also said it would be appropriate if the investigating officer examines

B.V.R. Subramanyam, who was PS to Manmohan Singh,

And T.K.A. Nair, who was then working as principal secretary in the PMO, in connection with the case.

The court noted that Subrahmanyam has not been examined till now and Nair "has though been examined by way of a questionnaire but towards the end he refused to answer some of the questions expressing his inability that he was not in a frame of mind of answering further questions".

The court ordered the investigating officer to examine both these officials. While Nair has retired, Subrahmanyam is still holding the office as a joint secretary in the PMO.

The court also directed the agency to file status report of its further probe in the case on January 27, next year.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Tags – Coal Scam Hindalco PM Manmohan Singh