Petitioners seek time from SC on CAG report in 2G case

With his resignation as Telecom Minister, A Raja appeared to have saved himself from any mention in the Supreme Court today in the controversial 2G case, with petitioners seeking more time to file submissions on the report of the CAG that is to be placed in Parliament.

The NGO, which has brought the issue before the Court, alleged that the Telecom Ministry is not providing complete details including the conversation between Raja and a corporate lobbyist relating to the scam.

The much-awaited hearing, which lasted for only 25 minutes, went off without any hard hitting remarks against the government or the CBI and there was also no reference to the name of Raja who resigned late last night.

A Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly heard advocate Prashant Bhushan, the counsel for the NGO, which has brought the issue of alleged scam to the court.

He opened the argument by alleging that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Raja favoured ineligible companies while allocating 2G spectrum (air waves) in 2008, causing a loss of around Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer as is evident from the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Bhushan alleged that Raja ignored advice of the sectoral regulator Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and the Ministry of Law and Justice to consult Empowered Group of Ministers on the issue of spectrum allocation.

The NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), which was responding to the affidavit filed by the DoT, alleged that DoT avoided mentioning the taped conversations between Raja and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia relating to the issue of award of licences and spectrum, in its affidavit filed on November 11.

"The DoT in its affidavit has not addressed the issue of Raja's conversations with corporate lobbyists Niira Radia and the role played by Ms Radia in the award of licences and spectrum. These conversations were given by the Directorate of Income Tax (Investigations) to the CBI more than a year back," said the rejoinder filed by the NGO to the affidavit of DoT.

Meanwhile, Janata Party Chief Subramanium Swamy, who filed the petition seeking direction to the Prime Minister to grant sanction to prosecute Raja, said that since the minister has resigned, he will have to be proceeded like an MP.

"I am in a trishanku like situation, since he (Raja) has resigned as minister and is a MP," he said, adding that he will go to the criminal court and file a case against him.

Swamy said his grievances were not addressed for a long time and now his petition has become a small matter and asked the Bench to hear his plea on priority when it comes up tomorrow. The Bench agreed with his plea.

Bhushan said the CAG report, to be placed before Parliament, contains the report of the Director General, Audit, Post and Telegraph which also have the explanation of the government.