2G scam: NGO moves SC for probe against Videocon

An application was today moved in the Supreme Court seeking to bring Videocon group within the ambit of CBI probe in the 2G scam alleging that one of its companies was a major beneficiary of spectrum allocation during former telecom minister A Raja's tenure.

The NGO, Centre For Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), submitted that Datacom, jointly owned by Videocon and HFCL, was at number nine in the list of applicants for spectrum but it became number one when first-cum-first-served policy was "changed" by the Department of Telecom (DoT).

"Datacom, jointly owned by Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon and Mahendra Nahata of HFCL, is one of the major beneficiaries of the 2G spectrum scam. According to its date of application, it was number nine in the list of applicants.

"However, on January 10, 2008, the basis of determining FCFS was changed, which according to CBI's charge sheet was done in a criminal conspiracy to help certain companies," alleged the CPIL, on whose PIL criminal investigation was directed into the 2G scam.

"Datacom became number one in 20 circles after the order of priority was altered. CBI has so far apparently ignored this and other vital aspects, and its decision to leave out Datacom from the charge sheets has weakened the prosecution case," the NGO said in its application.

Referring to report Justice Shivraj Patil committee, which was appointed to look into the irregularities in the spectrum allocation, the CPIL submitted that the document revealed that Datacom had moved to the number one position in 20 circles by jumping over Swan Telecom (in 11 circles), Idea, S Tel and Spice.