Coalgate was avoidable had PM been authoritative: Parakh

"So you had Prime Minister who has finally taken the decision. So, if I am a part of conspiracy he (PM) has to be a part of the conspiracy," he said.

Parakh was named in an FIR by the CBI with Kumarmanglam Birla for allegedly entering into a conspiracy to get the coal block allocation in favour of Hindalco.

The book, released by retired Supreme Court judge G S Singhvi and former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramanian, was in the making for last two-three years and has nothing to do with the timing of Lok Sabha polls, he said.

"I have been writing the book for last two-three years. But after the CAG report and CBI probe, I have just added one chapter to it," Parakh said in reply to a question about his book being released during elections and coming close on the heels of launch of the controversial book by Sanjaya Baru, former Media Advisor to the Prime Minister.

"I was rewarded by a raid by the CBI. My book is about degradation in our political system and civil services," Parakh, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter, said.

Parakh said he had complained to the Central Vigilance Commissioner about the "blackmailing" by MPs. "I did tell the CVC about it (blackmailing by MPs and politicians for preferable allocation of coal blocks). I am not aware what happened after that. Nothing had happened during my tenure," the former Coal Secretary said.

The author refused to give any political colour to his book and said the book is not about Congress or on coal blocks. "It is about various political parties. In the process, it has mentioned that the Prime Minister could not implement the decision he took."

"My book has information about all political people. It is not only against Congress party but it is against the entire political system," he said.

Continuing with his comments on the ministers, Parakh said, "I have very clearly written in the book that Ministers had reversed the decision of the Prime Minister.

"Now, you can draw your inference. Ministers had reversed the decision of the Prime Minister both in respect of coal block allocation and auction," he said.

He said there was no breach of privilege by writing the book as he had obtained documents under RTI. "This (CAG figure) is an estimated figure, not the exact figure, and so it could be marginally more or marginally less."

He also said that during the meeting to discuss competitive bidding and before he made a proposal in this regard for coal blocks, very few industry representatives supported this way of allocation of the blocks.

About the CBI probe, the former Coal Secretary said, "It is my assessment that the CBI investigation in this case will go nowhere."