Coalgate: CBI questions key PM aide TKA Nair

This, in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks including one to Hindalco

CBI has questioned T K A Nair, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks which included granting of a block to Hindalco at Talabira despite it being rejected by a screening committee of Coal Ministry.

As the agency prepares its submission before the Supreme Court later next week, CBI sources said that a detailed questionnaire had been sent to Nair which was replied by him.

The questions included those on coal policy and allocation of coal blocks when the Prime Minister was in charge of the coal ministry between 2006 and 2009.

The replies of Nair were sought on delay in auctioning of coal blocks, missing coal files and events leading to the Talabira coal block being given to Hindalco in which the CBI has registered a case against then Coal Secretary P C Parakh and Chairman of Aditya Birla Group Kumar Mangalam Birla.

The CBI would now be informing the Supreme Court about the replies sent by Nair.

The agency has already examined two former PMO officials --Vini Mahajan and Ashish Gupta--who were posted in the PMO between 2006 and 2009.

Mahajan, a 1987-batch IAS officer from Punjab cadre, was a Director with the PMO during the period and has now been repatriated back to the state where she is Principal Secretary level officer. Gupta, an IPS-officer of 1989-batch from Uttar Pradesh cadre, who was the vigilance officer in the PMO, has also gone back to his cadre.