Telcos question CAG report, defend 2G licence in SC

The Telecom companies, which allegedly benefitted in 2G spectrum allocation, today questioned the findings of the CAG report and contended in the Supreme Court that the licences issued to them cannot be cancelled on its basis.

The six companies -- Videocon, Uninor, Idea, Shyam Telelink and Aircel -- filed their affidavits in response to the apex court's notices seeking their views on "why their licence should not be cancelled for having benefited in 2G spectrum allocation" when A Raja was Telecom Minister.

The apex court had on January 10 had issued notices to 11 telecom companies Etisalat, Uninor, Loop Telecom, Videocon, S-Tel, Allianz Infra, Idea Cellular, Tata Tele Services, Sistema Shyam Teleservices, Dishnet wireless and Vodafone-Essar.

Electronic company Videocon, in its 16-page affidavit, submitted the petition seeking cancellation of its licence was based on "incorrect" facts and it should be dismissed.

"CAG report contains flawed and misconceived findings regarding its eligibility in getting 2G spectrum," Videocon said.

The company pleaded that the government has already served a notice for cancellation of licence and it has filed a detailed response to the Centre.

Uninor, which is JV between real estate major Unitech and Norway's telecom company Telenor, in its 29-page affidavit, said the "CAG report was made without seeking any clarification and explanation from it and so adverse inference cannot be drawn against it on the basis of the report."