In a serious allegation, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh had made a claim that ministers of coal were used to issuing oral orders and wanted file notings which suited them and not the "public interest".
Rejecting Opposition's demand for the booking of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the coal scam following filing of charges against former coal secretary PC Parakh, Union Minister Manish Tewari said "there is a difference between an administrative head and the political head of the ministry".
The quality of both civil servants and political executive members in India has deteriorated, former coal secretary P C Parakh tells Upasna Pandey
The government should give the first right of refusal in the ensuing coal mine auction to the companies which lost the blocks in the mass cancellation by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh said.
The former coal secretary opens up in a free-wheeling interview.
Five others, including one retired and another serving public servant -- K S Kropha and K C Samria -- were held guilty for various offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code.
An impartial probe into the coal scam can only take place once Prime Minister Manmohan Singh steps down from office, Bharatiya Janata Party said on Friday in reaction to his offer to face CBI in a coal block allocation case.
Crony capitalism will of course generate investment and ensure profit for private capital, but it won't give employment or income to the people. If you can make money by selling coal or speculating in land, why produce electricity, why invest in research and development, why even set up factories, asks Praful Bidwai.
A court asked for further investigation into an illegal coalfield allocation case involving Hindalco Industries on Tuesday, rejecting an earlier report from the CBI that said the probe was likely to be closed.
Recent investigations into the telecom spectrum and coal scams have made bureaucrats very wary of taking decisions.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the summons to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 5 others by a trial court over the coal scam.