Indian 2G corruption probe panel calls govt officials

The Indian parliamentary committee investigating the alleged 2G telecom spectrum scam has called Attorney General Goolam Essaji Vahanvati, Law Secretary D R Meena and CBI Director A P Singh to its next meeting, scheduled for April 15, reports the Indian Express.

The paper cited sources as saying that Vahanvati will be questioned on the advice he gave to the Telecom Ministry during his previous assignment as the solicitor general. 

The committee has already called Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary T K A Nair. They will despose before it on April 16.

The significance of all this testimony essentially deals with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's claim — which has so far not been seriously disputed — that he was in the dark about the way 2G telecom licenses were distributed.

According to the Hindustan Times, Chandrashekhar and Nair will be questioned on the PMO’s role in the allocation of 2G spectrum. This will include the communications between the finance ministry, telecom department and the PMO on the issue. The PM’s reported statement that he did not press with the matter as the finance and telecom ministries had concurred on the issue will also be discussed.

At issue is former telecom minister A. Raja's decision to allot licenses on a "first come, first served" basis, as well as the sale of licenses to several alleged front companies for larger firms, as well as alleged kickbacks paid through tortuous share transfers. According to various estimates, India lost as much as $40 billion through the sale because the licenses were not auctioned to the highest bidder in a transparent process.