2G allotment was faulty, corrupt; investigating agency will decide further step: Manoj Sinha

Communications Minister Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the next course of action on the 2G issue would be decided by the investigating agencies, adding that the 2G spectrum allotment was arbitrary, faulty and corrupt.

He also said the NDA government's realisation through spectrum auction was robust.

Asked what will the government do with the 122 licences that the Supreme Court had quashed on February 2012, Sinha said: "The government does not want to comment anything on the court decision now. Investigating agencies will take further decision. The government will ponder on it after that. The Supreme Court had already given its verdict. 2G spectrum auction was arbitrary, faulty and corrupt."

Sinha was speaking to reporters at a press meet at Department of Telecommunications here after the special CBI court acquitted all the accused in the case which was decided after seven years.

He said in 2001 the government decided to allot spectrum on a first-come, first-serve basis. "But in 2008 they (UPA government) decided to make spectrum allocation as first-come, first-pay."

Sinha added that CVC had criticised the earlier UPA government over the 2G spectrum auction while it had applauded the NDA for the 2015, 2016 auctions.

--IANS

ag/hs