JOIN USThe one-man panel, which was set-up to investigate into any irregularities in the allocation of telecom licences and 2G spectrum by the government from 2001 to 2009, submitted a 150-page report to Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal here on Monday.
Though Justice Patil and Sibal declined to reveal the contents of the report, it is learnt that the panel has pointed fingers at Raja, then Telecom Secretary Siddartha Behura and minister’s private secretary R K Chandolia. However, it was not clear whether ministers and officials in earlier regime have also been blamed in the report.
Speaking to reporters after submitting the report, Justice Patil said “I have identified and named the officials on whose part there were deficiencies or lapses.” When asked whether he named A Raja, who was quizzed for the third time by the CBI on Monday, in his report, Patil said he would not like to comment on specific names.
He said that following one of the terms of references of the panel, he had identified public officials responsible for any shortcomings or lapses or deficiencies in procedures followed in granting licences.
“We have identified. It is for the government, if at all they want to propose action, to take appropriate steps,” Justice Patil said.
The panel was appointed November last year by Sibal following the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which had found grave lapses in allotting telecom licences.
“The CBI is dealing with the criminal culpability... That is a different issue. My report deals with the procedures followed by the Department of Telecom (DoT) while granting licences and allocating spectrum during 2001 to 2009,” Patil said.
Sibal, who refused to divulge the details of the findings, said he would soon look into the report.