NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday said it had quizzed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s adviser T K A Nair twice in June regarding the alleged irregularities in coal block allocations, even after he had given written responses to the agency’s questions.
“He was examined with reference to certain clarification on some of the replies given by him earlier on the questionnaire sent by the CBI,” an official source said.
The agency questioned Nair in connection with the allocation of the Talabira-II coal block to Hindalco, regarding which there is an FIR against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P C Parakh. Sources said Nair could be called again if further clarifications were required.
The investigative agency in its FIR alleged that the company had got the coal block even after being rejected by the screening committee.
It was alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stepped in to facilitate the allocation. However, the PMO had issued a clarification saying that all rules and procedures were followed during the allocation process.
“The Prime Minister is satisfied that the final decision taken in this regard was entirely appropriate and is based on the merits of the case placed before him,” the PMO had said.
The agency has not ruled out examination of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with coal scam.