Raja misled Singh on 2G auction: CBI - Business Standard

The final arguments in the 2G spectrum allocation case began on Wednesday, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) telling a trial court then telecom minister A Raja "misled" former prime minister Manmohan Singh on policy matters.

CBI said Raja had extended favours to "ineligible" companies, Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) and Swan Telecom, by changing the first-come-first-served (FCFS) policy to suit them.

Public Prosecutor Anand Grover highlighted six prime issues in the case: advancement of cut-off date, manipulation of FCFS policy, issue of dual technology, grant of spectrum to ineligible firms, incurring loss by not raising the entry fee and consideration of Rs 200 crore for corrupt practices.

Grover said the cut-off date for receiving applications seeking radio waves was changed to favour Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu).

"[Raja], in fact, misled him [Manmohan Singh] on FCFS and cut-off date," Grover said, referring to a letter dated November 2, 2007, from Raja to Singh. "Curious things happened in DoT [department of telecommunication] which showed that this [change in FCFS policy] was deliberately done to favour the accused."

Grover told the court then law minister H R Bhardwaj had proposed referring some key policy issues to an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) but Raja rejected this and wrongly mentioned about it in the letter to Singh.

CBI further argued Swan Telecom was ineligible on the date of application as it was "actually owned by Tiger Traders through Reliance ADAG".

CBI said despite Swan Telecom and Tata complying with the required conditions of dual technology, Raja did not process Tata's applications, which "mysteriously disappeared" and were untraceable in DoT.

HOW RAJA MAY HAVE MISLED SINGH According to a CAG report, A Raja didn't heed PM Manmohan Singh's and law ministry's advice on 2G spectrum allocation

Raja passed on partial information to PM   To verify legality of the process adopted by telecom ministry, DoT had approached law ministry and sought an opinion from either attorney general or solicitor general. Then law minister H R Bhardwaj noted it was necessary the issue be first considered by EGoM Raja responded to law minister's note and wrote to PM next day, saying the decision of referring the matter to EGoM was "totally out of context". He also said DoT had decided to go ahead with the process of giving out licences on first-come-first-served basis Replying to Raja's letter, PM had said: "[Raja] should pay 'urgent consideration' to the issues relating to enhancement of subscriber-linked spectrum allocation criteria... Let me know of the position before you take any further action in this regard" Raja replied not auctioning licences was considered by Trai and Telecom Commission, and both were against auction. CAG report, however, said Trai's input was never discussed in a Commission meeting

The final arguments in the case, in which Raja, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member of Parliament Kanimozhi and 15 others including top corporate executives are facing trial, will continue on May 25.

The recording of evidence in the case began on November 11, 2011, after the court had framed charges against the 17 accused named in CBI's first two chargesheets.

CBI had alleged there was a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the exchequer in the allocation of the 122 licences for 2G spectrum scrapped by the Supreme Court on February 2, 2012.

Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra, three top executives of ADAG - Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair - are also facing trial.

Swan Telecom, Reliance Telecom and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) are the three firms facing trial.

via Business - Google News http://ift.tt/1CPmvar

Put the internet to work for you.

Delete or edit this Recipe