New Delhi: Finally, CBI has reached the Prime Minister’s doorstep in its Coalgate scam probe.
Reports claim CBI are questioning the top guns in PMO, including, T K A Nair, principal secretary to the PM in 2009, when he handled the coal portfolio. He now enjoys the position of Minister of State, as the advisor to the PM.
His interrogation, completed on Friday, was on the possible favours given to different companies during allocation of coal blocks. He was also likely to be questioned why the cancellation clause was not followed by the government.
The others who are likely to be questioned are, Jared Usmani, then Joint Secretary in the govt. of India. It is also expected to seek information from former director in the PMO, Vini Mahajan, and former coal secretary C Balakrishnan. Usmani is now the Chief Secretary of UP, while Vini Mahajan now Principal Secretary (Health) in the Punjab government
CBI has registered 11 FIRs related to alleged irregularities in the allotment coal blocks between 2006 and 2009. During this period, 68 coal blocks were allotted to 151 companies, with files of some going missing. The CBI has questioned former Union ministers Santosh Bagrodia and D Narayan Rao and Congress MP Vijay Darda so far.