Having cut off the "umbilical cord" that tied him to the Board, the former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) spoke to PTI on a range of issues from "giving a free hand" to the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri duo, Anil Kumble's exit as national coach, his frosty relationship with colleague Diana Edulji, sexual harassment allegations against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and difficulties in implementing the Supreme Court-mandated Lodha recommendations.
Did former CAG Vinod Rai exceed his brief? Was he, as some in the government alleged, planning a post-retirement life in politics (which he had refuted many times)? Or did he strengthen the agency's constitutional mandate by refusing to toe the government line and maintaining a fierce independent streak?
'No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance'
Niira Radia had said friends in high places enabled favourable EGoM decision on Sasan coal diversion, a charge staunchly denied by Reliance Power.
India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara started off the 13th edition of DY Patil T20 Cup with an uncharacteristic century to guide Indian Oil to an emphatic 10-wicket win over Air India. Pujara slammed an unbeaten 108 off 73 balls (14x4s, 2x6s) to register the commanding victory for his side. At the University Ground in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, Air India batted first to post 180 for four in their 20 overs.
The solicitor general said that the PM CARES Fund is a 'voluntary fund'. "It is a public trust. It is a body where you can make voluntary contributions and no budgetary allocations to the NDRF or SDRF are being touched. What has to be spent will be spent," the law officer said.
Watch Live! Jaiswal and Chidambaram's press conference on the coal scam
The Supreme Court accepted major recommendations of the Lodha Committee on reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India, including a bar on ministers and civil servants and those above 70 from becoming its members, but left it to Parliament to decide whether it should come under RTI and betting on the game should be legalised.
As his indefinite fast against "inflated" power bills entered the 11th day, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday got the support from activists Aruna Roy and Medha Patkar, who had differences with him on various issues.
With the Supreme Court (SC) cancelling captive coal block allocations, Jindal Steel & Power Limited will be the worst-affected company.
BCCI Apex Council will work on finalising India's revised Future Tours Program and the domestic season.
After ex-Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai attacked Manmohan Singh on 2G issue, Congress leader Kamal Nath on Friday said the former Prime Minister may have made a "mistake" in not acting despite his letter to him expressing concern over the spectrum allocation process.
Accusing the government of being under the influence of corporate houses, Left parties demanded a thorough probe into the CAG findings on the coal block allocation issue and an immediate debate on it in Parliament.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee has given a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 2G spectrum allocation, saying he was "misled" by the then Telecom Minister A Raja whose assurances stood "belied".
Terming as "baseless innuendos" the allegations of fraud by her Trust, Law Minister Salman Khurshid's wife Louise launched a scathing attack on activist Arvind Kerjriwal, accusing him of "doing politics using the shoulders of the disabled". She also trashed speculation about her husband resigning over the issue, saying there is no reason why her husband should step down.
Amid a war of words between the government and the opposition over the recent Comptroller and Auditor General reports, President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday cautioned that attempts by any organ of the state to overreach will unnecessarily lead to dissonance within the system.
The government is banking on the second round of spectrum auction and customer-centric moves such as free national roaming to rebuild the telecom sector, impacted by controversies and court judgements that have shaken investor confidence.
Hailing Supreme Court judgement on auction of natural resources, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal Thursday said the apex court has brought "constitutional clarity" on the issue.
Amid furore over coal blocks allocation, the government will place its views before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee by September 14 on the observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General. "The coal ministry will submit its comments to the PAC on CAG's observations on coal blocks allocations by September 14," said a top coal ministry official.
Dudley and Ambani, assisted by BP India head Sashi Mukundan and RIL Executive Director P M S Prasad, primarily discussed RIL-BP's oil and gas investments at the meeting that lasted nearly one-and-half hour.
Even as her party demands the prime minister's resignation, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj has asked the government to announce cancellation of the controversial coal block allocations and institution of an independent inquiry.
Seeking to corner the government over the CAG report on coal block allocation, the Bharatiya Janata Party is understood to have reached out to key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party for disrupting Parliament proceedings, the government on Wednesday said it was making all efforts to persuade the main opposition party to discuss the CAG report on coal block allocation.
Sitharaman also directed public sector bank heads to clear long pending vigilance cases against their officials for alleged malpractices.
Committee of Administrators (COA) chief Vinod Rai made it clear that Rahul Johri has no issues in attending the classes.
AGR dues calculated by the government for 16 entities add up to Rs 1.69 lakh crore, while telcos' self-assessment place their dues at a mere Rs 37,176 crore.
Contrary to the CAG report, the true scam is not exclusive to the UPA, or one for which it bears the prime culpability. Rather, it's a collective or collusive scandal, with both the UPA-ruled Centre and the non-UPA states reaching a nice 'match fixing'-style arrangement to snatch away coal mines from public sector companies and allot coal-mining leases to shady business interests, says Praful Bidwai.
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday for its stand on the coal controversy, the Congress alleged that there was a clear similarity between the anti-Bofors campaign and the present one on the coal blocks allocation. "Between 1985 and 1990, there was a campaign after the CAG report on Bofors against Rajiv Gandhi, with foreign journals also publishing articles. There is a similar pattern to it from 2009 to the present times," said Digvijay Singh.
BP Plc, Europe's second biggest oil company, and Reliance Industries will invest $5 billion in developing untapped gas reserves in the KG-D6 block as the partners attempt to reverse the fall in gas production.
A delegation of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday met President Pratibha Patil and submitted a memorandum apprising her about findings of Shunglu Committee and CAG relating to alleged corruption involving Delhi government and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in Commonwealth Games projects.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading anarchy in the country on the coal block allocation issue, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Sunday said no one can force Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resign till he enjoys the support of people.
India national team and Bengaluru FC footballer, CK Vineeth was given the pink slip by Kerala Accountant General for lack of attendance
Amid the ruckus over the CAG report on coal block allocation issue, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill that would allow the government to set up All India Institute of Medical Sciences-like institutes across the country by a notification.
Is the BJP right in stalling Parliament thus, leading to virtually no business being transacted, or should they roll back their tactic and abide by parliamentary norms and submit to a debate in the House?
After stalling Parliament proceedings on the coal allocation issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday made it clear that this will be followed up with countrywide protests against the government on the corruption issue.
On instructions from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, senior Union ministers were asked to brief Congress MPs on the allocation of coal blocks and the CAG report.
Stepping up attack after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected CAG's observations on coal block allocation, BJP on Monday alleged that he was directly responsible for causing delay in amending laws on auction with the aim of bringing financial benefit to Congress.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is facing sharp criticism from the opposition over the CAG report on coal block allocations, on Monday made an earnest appeal to the Bharatiya Janata Party to debate the issue in Parliament and not disrupt proceedings.
Rejecting Team Anna's allegations of corruption against him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday declared he will quit public life if the charges on coal block allotments are proved.
Some of Bharatiya Janata Party's allies have proposed a "via media" which could end the current impasse in Parliament over "coalgate" which disrupted Parliament all of this week.
