Former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao.
At a time a book has raised questions about Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's inability to take on vested interests, which led to "Coal-gate" - or the illegal allocation of coal blocks at huge losses to private companies - a minister accused of a role in the scam has said "the buck stops with the PM."
Speaking for the first time after he was named in the CBI's First Information Report or FIR in the coal scam, Mr Rao told NDTV the Prime Minister could have "thrown him out" if there was something wrong with whatever he did as the junior minister.
"The buck stops at the Prime Minister's table in a parliamentary democracy. I believe someday the truth will come out. My name will be cleared," he said. "People will laugh if you say Dasari Narayan Rao took Rs 2 crore as bribe," he added.
Dasari Narayan Rao has been accused of colluding with coal block beneficiaries to influence a screening committee that allotted coal blocks.
His comments come days after former coal secretary PC Parakh released his memoirs, in which he accuses the Prime Minister of failing to control ministers allegedly involved in corruption.
Mr Rao said that he did not want to read Mr Parakh's book but he had been briefed on its contents. "Parakh can write a book or make a film, I have no problem. But...he made some wrong allegations that my secretary asked...for money," he said.
"Parakh's allegation is that when he proposed bidding, I refused, that I did not cooperate...There were some practical issues, some political problems, so I have to point out those problems...If I was wrong, PM could have thrown me out," he added.
Mr Rao also added that the Congress used him when it wanted and never stepped in when there was trouble. "Twice, in 1989 and in 2004, Congress came to power in Andhra Pradesh...thanks to me," Mr Rao said. "But I don't expect help from anyone, I will be proved innocent."