JOIN USThe Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) draft report on 2G scam found fault in the then telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran in allotting telecom licences.
Expressing surprise over delay in taking decision by then Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran on the applications filed by Dishnet DSL Limited, the committee said that it would not make any observation on this issue as the matter is being probed by the CBI.
“The committee is of the firm opinion that issuance of licences to Dishnet DSL Limited was stalled on several occasions citing frivolous reasons,” the draft report prepared by Chairman P C Chacko said.
“It is disquieting to note that the applications of Dishnet DSL Limited were finally approved by the minister of communications and information technology on May 16, 2006 i.e., after a lapse of about two years”, the report said.
“Taking note of the fact that the CBI registered a case against the then minister of communications and information technology and others pertaining to the issue in question, the committee refrains from commenting anything further in the matter,” said the report.
The draft report however, maintained complete silence on several issues raised by the then Telecom Minister A Raja. The JPC, which refused to give an opportunity to Raja to depose before it despite his repeated requests, also did not mention any of the letters available with it despite the former minister saying that his several communications with the Prime Minister’s Office during 2007 and 2008 were with the JPC.
The report blamed Raja saying that “the prime minister was misled about the procedure decided to be followed by the Department of Telecommunications in respect of issuance of UAS licences. Further, the assurance given by the minister of communications and information technology in all his correspondence with the prime minister to maintain full transparency in following established rules and procedures of the department stood belied”.
On the controversial press release issued just before the licences were allocated, the JPC report quotes the CBI to say that the January 7, 2008 press note was “forged by the minister of communications and information technology” (Raja) with later inclusion of words “press release appd (approved) as amended.The CBI has claimed to have forensic evidence to substantiate their finding in this regard,” the report said.
Despite Raja claiming that this press release was modified by the Solicitor General when it had gone to the latter for approval, the SG blamed the former minister.
“The issue related to amendment made in the draft press release is part of the charge sheet filed by the CBI against Raja, and the panel will not comment on this issue as the matter is sub-judice,” said the draft report.