Parakh seeks more time from CBI for recording statement

Former Coal Secretary P C Parakh, booked for allegedly abusing his official position to grant a coal block to Hindalco, has made a written request to the CBI for postponing questioning scheduled for tomorrow to first week of May.
The letter was received in reply to a summon issued by the CBI where the former bureaucrat was asked to appear before the agency on April 25.
"We have received Mr Parakh's request for a fresh date for examination. His request is being legally examined," CBI spokesperson said in response to a query.
However, sources in the agency said he will be granted additional time for appearance before the agency. They said he would be examined in first week of May.

Parakh has been named as an accused for allegedly abusing his official position to grant a coal block to Hindalco, a company of Aditya Birla Group, to appear before it on April 25 but the former bureaucrat expressed inability to do so owing to family commitments.
"I have asked CBI to give any date after May 1," Parakh, 69, who retired as Coal Secretary in 2005, had told PTI over phone from his Hyderabad residence.

In his book released recently, Parakh has been critical of CBI's action, especially its Director Ranjit Sinha, for registering a case against him.
He also questioned the decision making of the agency chief in not naming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an accused as the Coal Ministry was under Singh's charge directly when Talabira-II coal block in Odhisa was given to Hindalco.

"My questioning has nothing to do with my book. It's a routine questioning as per the law," Parakh said.
CBI had last year registered a case against Parakh, Birla, besides unnamed officials of Hindalco and the Coal Ministry.