CBI files case against ex-telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday pressed charges against former Telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh in additional spectrum allocation case of 2002, saying he granted radio waves to telecom companies at a “throwaway prices”.

Though Ghosh acted against “the principles of policy” and caused a “huge loss” to public ex-exchequer by granting licenses to the companies in violation of the rules, he was later rewarded for his conduct with a “lucrative” appointment to a post, special public prosecutor of the CBI Anand Grover told special CBI court, arguing on the framing of charges against the former bureaucrat and other accused in the case.

The CBI counsel told Special CBI Judge OP Saini that Ghosh granted additional spectrum to Hutchison Max (P) Ltd, M/s Sterling Cellular Ltd and Bharti Cellular Ltd entering into a conspiracy with the then Telecom minister Pramod Mahajan.

“After he (Ghosh) had retired, a special post was specially created for him for three year term. It was done very quickly and signed by the authorities. In ordinary course, it is not done. It is illegal on the face of it. But, he gets it as a reward in return of what he has done in the conspiracy with Telecom minister and other accused,” Grover charged.

The additional spectrum, which was granted to the two companies at throwaway prices, was reserved for security forces.

Soon after his retirement in May 2002, Ghosh was made administrator of the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) for a term of three years.  The USOF comes under the Department of Telecom.