New Delhi: In his statement recorded before CBI, which is probing the alleged scam in allotting a coal block to Hindalco, Mr Singh said he had received a May 7, 2005, letter from Birla urging the government to allocate Talabira-II block to his firm as it would enable them to set up a large aluminium plant in Odisha.
“I knew of the decision that I had already given the approval to the secretary (Coal) to approve the minutes of the 25th SC (screening committee) at his level. The letter of Mr Birla was merely forwarded to the MoC (Ministry of Coal) with instructions to get a report,” he told the CBI.
“I gave no promise or assurance to Mr Birla that coal block would be allocated. The request of Mr Birla was to change the decision and matter was whether or not the matter should be re-opened or not,” Mr Singh said in his statement.
Mr Singh also told CBI that Birla had written two letters in support of his request which he had asked the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to send to the Coal Ministry for a report.
“It is thus clear that as Coal Minister and PM, I did nothing more than merely forwarding the letters of Kumar Mangalam Birla for examination by the coal ministry,” he said adding that there was no “undue haste” in arriving at the decision of allocation.
