JOIN USAuditor puts 2G loss at Rs 2,645 crore
Appearing before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which is probing the 2G issue, the then Director-General, Audit (Post and Telecommunication), R P Singh said quantification of loss was not part of the objectives of the CAG audit and the final figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore was at best a “mathematical guess”.
Singh said despite his disagreement of the quantum of loss mentioned in the report, he had to sign as an obedient employee of the organisation (CAG).
Meanwhile, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, who will appear on Tuesday before the JPC, is likely to counter P R Singh’s statement. Rai has written to the JPC requesting that Singh be asked to remain present when he deposes before the committee.
Singh while deposing before the JPC said the Rs 2,645 crore figure, calculated by him, was the actual loss based on non-revision of entry fee for telecom operators and the figure was part of the draft report.
According to JPC Chairman P C Chacko, the former CAG official maintained that the loss due to the allocation of 2G spectrum could not be calculated as auction was neither recommended by Trai nor contemplated by the government.
Singh, who superannuated from service on August 31, told the JPC that to show presumptive loss would be akin to introducing “individual judgment” to the audit exercise which was “questionable”.
While briefing the media, Chacko said though Singh did not disagree with the quantum of loss mentioned in the CAG report (Rs 1.76 lakh crore) but he disagreed with the method adopted to arrive at that figure.
Sources said during the meeting, Jaswant Singh (BJP) asked the former CAG official whether he signed the report and stood by it.
Not responsible
R P Singh replied that he had signed the report but was not responsible for the inputs provided by other auditors who had taken into account views of the Finance Ministry and the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
Members also questioned R P Singh on the findings of the Field Audit Team (FAT) which had pegged the potential loss on 2G spectrum allocation at Rs 26,685 crore, Chacko said.
The FAT had projected the loss of revenue as Rs 26,685 crore on account of entry fee due to non-issue of licence and loss of interest.
Singh maintained that since there was no conclusive evidence for the loss, he had rejected the figure.