Probe Antrix-Devas deal: PM to Plan panel

Under attack from the Opposition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday asked Planning Commission member B K Chaturvedi to look into the controversial deal between Antrix — the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) — and Devas Multimedia to ascertain whether it has caused any loss to the national exchequer.

Chaturvedi, who is also a member of the 13th Finance Commission, told Business Standard that he had not received any formal communication on the matter from the PMO and refused to elaborate further on the controversy.

Yesterday, the PMO had claimed that there was no loss to the exchequer because of the deal. According to media reports, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pegged the loss caused by the ISRO-Devas deal at Rs 2 lakh crore. CAG clarified that no conclusive report had been prepared on the deal so far.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has held the Prime Minister responsible for the Devas deal as ISRO and the Department of Space come under the ambit of the PMO. Reports had claimed that CAG was investigating a 20-year lease of 70 MHz S-band spectrum by Antrix to Devas Multimedia from the available 2,500 Mhz, in 2005.

ISRO had said on Tuesday that neither spectrum nor transponders/satellites were given to Devas or Antrix so far. “The question of revenue loss does not arise.” On its part, the Department of Space had said that the January 2005 agreement was already under review and the process to terminate the deal was underway. The space agency claimed there was no financial loss to the government on account of the 2005 contract.

However, at a press conference last evening, ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan admitted that details about contract that gave Devas rights to 90 per cent usage of transponders on two satellites, were not shared with the Space Commission or the Union Cabinet. The BJP said there were important questions which the Prime Minister needs to explain to the nation.