Documents in possession of Hindustan Times show Radia managed licences and spectrum for at least four mobile operators. The lobbyist is said to have be a “very close associate” of A Raja, the telecom minister.
The findings and inferences listed in these documents were gleaned from conversations Radia had over her phone that was being tapped by the Income Tax department.
Some of India’s top businessmen, politicians and journalists figure in these conversations either for seeking her help or working with her on matters relating to telecom, power, aviation and infrastructure.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes on Wednesday clarified it was not tapping the phones of any politician, advertising professional or business. And that it taps phones only rarely and with proper permission. But there is a signed letter from an Income Tax official to a CBI official confirming Radia’s phone and those of some associates were under observation “after obtaining permission from the home secretary”.
And then the I-T officer goes on to say, “From conversations, it appears the Ms Nira (Niira, actually) Radia might have had some role with regards to the award of telecom licenses.”
“In some other conversation,” officer wrote, “Ms Radia boasts to have helped some of the telecom operators in their efforts to obtain licenses/spectrum. Ms Radia was also in direct touch with Shri Chandolia.”.
Chandolia was then on Raja’s ministerial staff.
PTI: The government had issued new telecom licenses in January 2008 along with bundled 4.4 MHz spectrum for Rs 1,658 crore. The Opposition has been saying that the licenses have been given at 2001 prices and caused huge loss to the government.
CBI is also investigating alleged irregularities in the spectrum allocation and had registered a case against some
unknown officials of the Department of Telecom (DoT) for their involvement.
2G spectrum scam: Raja-Radia link rocks House for second day
Comment: Mr Manmohan Singh the honest Prime Minister has been taken for a ride by the corrupt Bureaucrats, Businessmen and Politicians right under his very nose! This scam makes citizens wonder if the Government is armed with requisite tools to book the swindlers and black money generators, who presently go about free wheeling as white collar criminals?
3G Spectrum Status
New Delhi: India may have to wait longer than expected for the start of the third generation (3G) mobile services as the defence forces may not be able to vacate the necessary spectrum by September as promised. The vacation of the spectrum is dependent on the readiness of the Rs10,000 crore alternate optical fibre cable network being built by state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). The tender for the work that was to have been issued in December has only just been issued, resulting in deadlines being missed and putting off the start of 3G services, spectrum for which is currently being auctioned.
Read more:
Defence network delay may stall 3G
DoT Clarifies Position on News-Items on Reported Delay in Defence Network
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