Former Coal Secretary P C Parakh, facing a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in coal block allocation, today triggered a storm by stating that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken the final decision as head of the coal ministry and should also be named as a "conspirator" and made "accused" in the case.
"...If there is a conspiracy, then there are different members in this conspiracy. There is K M Birla who made the representation, he is one conspirator. I, who examined the case and made a recommendation, I can be another conspirator and the Prime Minister, who as the Coal Minister, took the final decision, is the third conspirator," Parakh told reporters here."
"Therefore, if there is a conspiracy, all of us should be made accused," he added
Asked whether the PM should be named as the 'first conspirator', he said, "Must be. He is the final decision maker...Responsibility lies with the Prime Minister as he could have overruled me. It was ultimately his responsibility as the Coal Minister."
He said if the CBI thinks there is a conspiracy, "why did they choose and select Birla and me and not the PM. If conspiracy is there, then everyone is part of the conspiracy."
CBI has registered FIR against industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, Parakh and others on charges of criminal conspiracy and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of two coal blocks in Odisha eight years back.
Terming the allocation to Hindalco of the Aditya Birla Group as a "fair decision", Parakh said Hindalco and PSU Neyveli Lignite Corporation had applied for a coal block.
He explained that Screening Committee under the Coal Ministry decided that it should be allocated to Neyveli as it was a PSU and was also eligible for the allocation. But after the decision, Birla made a representation to the PM that Hindalco should have been given the block as they were equally competent and were the first applicant.
Latching on to comments by Parakh, BJP and Left parties targeted the Prime Minister, saying he cannot escape responsibility in the controversial allocations as he held the charge of the Coal Ministry at that time.
They demanded a fair and transparent probe into the issue.
