Coal Scam: Why wasn't Manmohan examined, Court asks CBI

CBI officer responds, saying PMO officials were examined and statement of then coal minister was not deemed necessary

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday told a court probing a coal block allocation scam case that it was not permitted to examine Manmohan Singh, the then prime minister, with additional charge of the coal ministry.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar asked the agency: “Don’t you think examination of the then coal minister was necessary in the matter? Don’t you feel the need to examine him? Don’t you think his statement was necessary to present a clear picture?”

Responding to these questions, the investigating officer (IO) told the court that officials of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) were examined during the probe in the scam case involving industrialist K M Birla and former coal secretary P C Parakh, and it was found the statement of the then coal minister was not necessary.

He, however, added the agency was not permitted to examine the then coal minister.

In 2005, when Hindalco, a company run by Birla’s group, was allocated the Talabira II & III coal blocks in Odisha, former prime minister Singh was holding the coal portfolio as well.

“PMO officials were examined. The then minister of coal was not examined in the light of the statement of PMO officials,” the IO said, adding “The then coal minister was not permitted to be examined. It was found his statement was not necessary”.

During the hearing, the court directed CBI to file the case diary before it. After this, Senior Public Prosecutor V K Sharma said the agency should be allowed to file these documents in a sealed cover.

“...I deem it appropriate that let the case diary files and crime files of the present case be summoned and according to the request of the senior public prosecutor, let it be produced in a sealed cover,” the judge said and posted the matter for further proceedings on Thursday.

The first information report (FIR) against Birla, Parakh and others was registered in October last year by CBI, which alleged Parakh reversed his decision to reject coal block allocation to Hindalco within months, “without any valid basis or change in circumstances” and showed “undue favours”.

The FIR relates to the 2005 allocation of Talabira II and III.

CBI had booked Birla, Parakh and other Hindalco officials under various sections, including criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct on part of government officials.