Akela
THE Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) next week will quiz the top industrialist and Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla in the alleged coal block allocation scam.
According to sources, CBI had registered FIR last year against Birla and unknown officials of Hindalco under several sections including criminal conspiracy and corruption for alleged irregularities in the allocation of two coal blocks. The agency will examine 46-year-old Birla to find out whether it should file a charge sheet or move a closure report. CBI had already filed closure reports against J L D Yavatmal Energy and Jas Infrastructure LTD owned by Congress MP Vijay Darda, claiming lack of enough evidence to suggest criminality.
P C Parakh, the former coal secretary and former coal minister Dasari Narayan Rao has been also likely to be questioned by the CBI. Rao has been accused of favouring Hindalco (Birla’s firm) in allocation of coal blocks and is likely to be questioned again in the coming days.
However, Hindalco had denied allegations of irregularities, claiming, “We wish to state unambiguously that we have followed every process required for allocation of coal completely, as stipulated by the Government policy. This relates to media reports on an FIR naming Hindalco and our Chairman on coal issues.”