Retired Supreme Court Judge to probe spectrum allocation system since 2001
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, December 09, 2010
DoT's procedure will be checked: Sibal
UPA government has announced setting up of a one man committee to probe spectrum allocation scam. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal announced that retired supreme court judge Shivraj B. Patil will look into the spectrum allocation issue since 2001.
Kapil Sibal said, that the committee will identify instances of lack of transparencies and lapses in the policies on the issue. It will check from the files to see if these policies were violated and will also be looking into the procedures of the DoT in this regard. Telecom Minister said that the Committee will submit its report within four weeks. The panel will also suggest remedies for spectrum allocation.
The CBI is already investigating the alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G Spectrum. Former Communication and IT Minister Mr. A. Raja resigned last month after a CAG report was tabled in Parliament on the issue. The report had said that the rates at which the 2G spectrum was allotted resulted in a possible loss to the tune of 1.76 lakh crore rupees to the exchequer.
The opposition has been demanding a JPC probe into the issue but the government has rejected it saying that it is politically motivated.
The BJP rejected the new 2G probe pannel made by the government. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi party spokesperson Arun Jaitly said that they will not settle for anything less than JPC on 2G spectrum scam.
He tersely observed that a retired Supreme Court judge can’t be substitute for a JPC probe.
