FE FIRST Trouble for Raja as spectrum probe widens

CBI to quiz ex-secys, telecom panel member

Rishi Raj
Posted: Thursday, Nov 05, 2009 at 0100 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Nov 05, 2009 at 0100 hrs IST

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New Delhi: There could be trouble ahead for communications & IT minister A Raja, with the CBI deciding to widen the scope of its enquiry into the spectrum scam, by seeking details from former DoT secretaries DS Mathur and Siddhartha Behura and Telecom Commission member Manju Madhavan.

As reported by FE earlier, Raja had faced severe opposition from his then secretary DS Mathur over the entire process by which licences and spectrum were allocated to eight new operators in January 2008. Madhavan, then member finance, had also opposed the process and put up a note before Raja. The licences were subsequently granted to the companies after Mathur retired and Madhavan sought voluntary retirement. Behura was the secretary then and he retired on September 30, 2009.

The opposition from Mathur, some of which are recorded in files, was so vehement that he refused to sign any file on the matter until his retirement. Mathur retired on December 31, 2007 and licences were granted towards the end of January 2008. One main objection of Mathur was that no new licence and spectrum could be granted without an “equitable and transparent policy”.

Mathur had also opposed the arbitrary cut-off date of September 25, 2007 to grant licences as it was legally not tenable. Mathur had argued that a policy should be formulated to determine “competent applicants”—whether or not licences be granted to companies that have no synergies with telecom services?

Madhavan’s note said that licences should be auctioned to realise a fair price. However, Raja never passed any order on that file.

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Comments

» CBI must arrest all tainted person in this historical scam of 60,000 crores

Posted by Hemant on 2009-11-05 12:07:33.684172+05:30
CBI should not only inquire but arrest all the tainted persons involved in this historical scam, which has shifted 60,000 crores Indian money into swiss bank. Koda is being arrested for 4000 crore scam, what about 60,000 crore scam??? What responsibility does these politicians have for public exchequer money, is loud and clear from the behavior of Congress leaders when all are supporting the tained Minister even though all the proofs and indications are otherwise. There is no future of our country in the hands of such corrupt politicians.

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