Cbi Probing Out-Of-Turn Allotment Of Phones

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing into the out-of-turn allotment of telephone connections by former communications minister Sukh Ram. Instances of non-payment of dues against these telephones, running into crores of rupees, have come to the notice of the department of telecommunications (DoT).

The allottees here were allowed to avail of facilities including STD and ISD, an official said. Also, there were instances where the same person was allotted more than one out-of-turn connection.

Such telephone connections were also used for tele-conferencing between people abroad. For instance, if a call was made to London through telephone A, and another to Hong Kong through telephone B, then with the help of a conferencing instrument, the person in London could speak to the one in Hong Kong.

Though both these calls were originating in India, the users here would not pay for the calls. The money for these calls is suspected to have been received outside India, thereby also violating the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (Fera).

Since every bill is raised after a cycle of two months, the allottee would disappear after receiving the telephone bill.

In one instance, a person deposited a cheque for the billed amount in the name of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), but it bounced.