NEW DELHI, Jan 27 � Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told the CBI that Hindalco was not favoured in any manner in the allocation of Talabira-II coal block and that it was done as per prescribed procedures, reports PTI.
He is believed to have made this point when CBI officials examined him 10 days ago in pursuance of the orders of a special court going into the case relating to the scam.
The statement of the former prime minister, who was holding the portfolio of coal during the relevant time, was filed as part of the CBI�s progress report in the case before the special court today.
The sources said that during the examination of Singh, he was asked about the developments in the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and Ministry of Coal after industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla had written two letters dated May 7, 2005 and June 17, 2005 to him requesting for allocation of Talabira-II coal block to Hindalco.
