ED grills Dasari Narayana Rao in coal scam case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday grilled former Union minister Dasari Narayan Rao for over six hours in connection with its money laundering probe in the coal blocks allocation scam.

The former Minister of State for Coal flew down from Hyderabad for his first questioning in the case by the ED here after which his statement was recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
After more than six hours of questioning, Rao said that allegations of financial irregularities levelled against him in the case are false and that he has explained his position and role to the sleuths. The case has been referred by the CBI to the ED.
"I was asked a few questions and I replied to them. All allegations against me are concocted stories...they are not correct and I have told them (ED) the realities," he said after he emerged from the Delhi zonal office of the agency in Delhi. He said he will continue to cooperate with the ED in the case.
Sources said Dasari was asked about his role in the allocations made during his tenure and in specific about the coal blocks allocated to the Jindal group. He said all the mines allocation were done by his ministry as per norms and that all the files in this regard were sent to the Prime Minister's Office and cleared by competent authorities there, sources said. The ED, sources said, needs more clarity on these statements from the former minister and has called him again for questioning along with some documents.
Dasari was also questioned about the routing of Rs 2.25 crore from a firm of Jindal - ND Exim - to Rao's firm Soubhagya Media. He told the ED that he was the Director of the said media firm between 2008-11 and that the said money had come to the firm after this period. The ED suspects this amount to be tainted and proceeds of crime of money laundering.