The CBI on Thursday grilled former coal secretary PC Parakh for eight hours in connection with the alleged illegal allotment of an Odisha-based coal block to Aditya Birla Group company, Hindalco.
Parakh was questioned on a number of issues including the reasons for reversing his own decision with regard to the allotment of Talabira II coal block first to the PSU Neyveli lignite Corporation and then to Hindalco, a private concern. Parakh has been called for questioning again on Friday.“There is nothing to say. They had questions to ask and they will carry on tomorrow,” Parakh told reporters at the agency headquarters here.When asked whether he was satisfied with the questioning process, Parakh replied in the affirmative. The former coal secretary had alleged in his book that on previous instances inspector-level officers with no experience of policy formulations were involved in his examination.
“The whole idea of the questioning is to understand. I am in the process of making them understand. They have a point of view. I am trying to put my point of view,” he said.Asked whether the CBI team was clear about the fundamentals of coal blocks allocation process, he said that is being discussed during the examination.Parakh was questioned by a team led by a Superintendent of Police (SP) level officer, which was monitored by a Joint Director and he was given access to all documents related to the case, official sources said.
Parakh, who retired as Coal Secretary in December 2005, has been accused in the case for abusing his official position to grant a coal block to Hindalco. Other accused in the case include Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla.