CBI quizzes Manmohan's ex-advisor T K A Nair

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has quizzed T K A Nair, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's advisor, in connection with the coal block allocation scam, it is learnt. Singh had held additional charge of the coal ministry between 2006 and 2009.

Nair was examined twice last month when the CBI wanted some clarifications on his responses given earlier this year, said CBI sources. The agency said it would call him again if it needed further clarifications. "We will question anyone relevant to the case. As of now, there is no such requirement since we have quizzed prime minister's office officials," a CBI official said.

The agency interrogated Nair in connection to the Talabira-II coal block allocation to Hindalco for which there is a First Information Report (FIR) against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P C Parakh.

CBI in its FIR had mentioned the final approval for the allocation had come from the "competent authority", bringing the PMO under the scanner. The PMO then issued a statement where Singh took full responsibility for the allocation, saying it was done following all procedures.

Besides Nair, CBI had quizzed two joint secretaries of the PMO, Vini Mahajan and Ashish Gupta.

Mahajan, a 1987 batch Indian Administrative Service officer from the Punjab cadre, was a director with the PMO during the period and has been sent back to the state cadre where she is a principal secretary-level officer. Gupta, an Indian Police Service officer of the 1989 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who was a vigilance officer in the PMO, has gone back to his parent cadre.