WATCH LIVE: All the action in the Rajya Sabha
So far, CBI's investigations into the coal scam are highly superficial and limited to small fishes. It is unlikely to go deeper in the political connections, a source tells rediff.com
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hansraj Ahir, who has been at the forefront in exposing the scandalous free allotment of coal blocks by the United Progressive Alliance, explains the modus operandi of the coal scam in the second and final part of his interview with rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said it was not possible to cancel all the coal block allocations but asserted that no one, even if a minister or a senior official, would be spared if found involved in the coal scam.
Intensifying its attack on the government over the coal block allocation scam, Bharatiya Janata Party demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sacking of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.
With CBI admitting that it had shared its status report on coal block allocation scam with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that he was using the law ministry to save himself from the probe in the case.
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Enforcement Directorate to file by February 8 the status report on its probe into coal scam for suspected money laundering and foreign exchange rules violations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said the "public spat" between the attorney general and the additional solicitor general reinforces its view that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should own up "responsibility" in the coal scam and step down.
Ex-coal secy HC Gupta and other officials were later granted statutory bail as the jail term was below four years.
The exact case in connection with which the searches were being conducted was not yet known.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday claimed that had the Centre implemented the "transparent policy of the state government", it could have earned an additional revenue of Rs 13 lakh crore in coal allocation, where a loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore was incurred.
Alleging that the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party were hand-in-glove on the coal block allocation issue, erstwhile Team Anna on Thursday announced gherao of the residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari on Sunday.
Facing criticism for alleged toning down of its report filed before the Supreme Court on coal scam probe under political influence, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday said it is not under "any pressure from any quarter".
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has refuted claims made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin regarding fund allocation and delimitation, accusing him of spreading misinformation and engaging in diversionary tactics. Shah asserted that the Modi government has provided significant financial support to Tamil Nadu and denied claims of any reduction in Parliamentary representation for the state following delimitation. He also criticized the DMK government's handling of law and order, citing issues such as drug trafficking and corruption. Shah expressed confidence in the BJP's prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections, predicting a larger victory than in Maharashtra and Haryana.
The Central Bureua of Investigation sought a maximum of seven years imprisonment for the five convicted persons and imposition of heavy fine on the private firm.
Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, who resigned as member of Competition Commission of India, was on Thursday questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with coal blocks allocation from 2006 to 2009 during his tenure.
The coal-gate involving Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in allocation of the coal mines to private parties is set to put Parliament on fire beginning its monsoon session on Wednesday as the CAG report is ready for presentation which will provide ammunition to opposition to fire at the government for the massive scam.
Hindalco has already bagged 4 mines in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh
The CAG report had alleged the government had passed on financial gains of Rs 1.86 lakh crore to private companies by not auctioning the coal blocks.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to inform the Supreme Court that it has received all the relevant files related to coal block allocation scam and might recommend closure of preliminary enquiries in this regard.
'A man who brought about the greatest set of economic reforms in the country, who changed the course of Indian history, cannot be considered weak.' 'A man who fought for nuclear reforms even though his majority in Parliament was threatened, he cannot be considered weak.'
The first lot of 74 mines will be auctioned to specific end-users and allocated to state-owned entities by March.
In remarks which can create controversy, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said a Congress leader had pressed her to give diplomatic passport to coal scam accused Santosh Bagrodia.
Will the Supreme Court take note of the case and ensure a respected civil servant is not punished for being in office at the wrong time?
The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a fresh case in connection with its coal blocks allocation probe against a Delhi-based steel company and carried out searches at its premises in the National Capital Region.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi, shifted to Kanpur Lok Sabha seat from Varanasi to accommodate Narendra Modi, on Friday made a veiled attack on sitting Congress MP and Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, saying he never imagined that one day he would have to fight elections from "constituency of people whose names cropped up in coal gate scam."
The top court said it cannot order a roving inquiry into purchase of electoral bonds on the assumption that it was quid pro quo for award of contract.
The government on Monday came under sharp attack on the issue of crucial files of Coal ministry going missing, with the Opposition alleging that it was a conspiracy to save Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation scam and demanding an impartial probe into it.
Former coal secretary H C Gupta and six others were on Tuesday granted bail by a special court New Delhi in connection with a case related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of a Chhattisgarh-based coal block to SKS Ispat and Power Ltd. All the seven accused persons were granted the bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and one surety of a like amount.
Kangana Ranaut, who is the BJP candidate from her hometown Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, feels Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an 'ansh' (part) of Lord Ram and Lord Vishnu.
In an urgent need for its image makeover, the scam-tainted coal sector will require mammoth efforts in 2015 from the government and the corporates too.
'They want to keep the pot boiling all the time.' 'The BJP wants to set a political narrative that the Gandhis are doing wrong things.'
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGOs 'Common Cause' and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, that the plea needed to be listed for hearing at the earliest.
Probe into alleged irregularities in allocation of Talabira-II coal blocks has gained momentum as CBI has started questioning top executives of Aditya Birla Group and were likely to quiz former Coal Secretary P C Parakh next week.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has questioned T K A Nair, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks, which included granting of a block to Hindalco at Talabira despite it being rejected by a screening committee of the coal ministry.
With the prime minister wanting to send the message that he has not been part of any cover-up in the coal scam, Ashwani Kumar's case is looking more and more dismal, reports Sheela Bhatt
Speaking to reporters at the Kolkata airport on his way to New Delhi to attend a summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged coal scam case, Banerjee accused the BJP of indulging in political vendetta having lost the state assembly elections.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday filed a fresh status report in a sealed envelop in the Supreme Court on coal block allocation scam giving details of the ongoing probe in which companies, business tycoons and bureaucrats have come under its scanner.
Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. He was brought to the emergency department of AIIMS Delhi in critical condition after "sudden loss of consciousness."
The Central Bureau of Investigation has found no criminality in the allocation of about 60 coal blocks, which are likely to be taken out of the purview of its ongoing probe after taking the Supreme Court's permission.
