2G: SC sends notices to 11 telecos, TRAI

The apex court today sent notices to 11 telecom companies including Uninor, Vodafone, Essar South, Tata Tele, Loop Telecom, Idea, Etisalat, Shyam Telelink and TRAI. The court was hearing two petitions in 2G spectrum scam case - one by Janata Party leader Subramanium Swami and the other by the Centre for PIL led by Prashant Bhushan.

The Centre for Public Interest Litigation led by Prashant Bhushan, along with a host of powerful petitioners filed a PIL in the Supreme Court asking the court to direct the government to cancel all 2G licences and recover the Rs 1.76 lakh crore of exchequer revenue that was lost on account of pricing 2G spectrum in 2008 at 2001 prices.

The court last week upheld Swamy's plea who also wanted the court to appoint him as one of the public prosecutors.

Subramanium Swamy slammed telecom minister Kapil Sibal after he dismissed the CAG report, which said the 2G scam cost the state a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

Sibal has also come under strong criticism for his remarks on the CAG report by the CPI(M). Party's general secretary, Prakash Karat, charged the Telecom Minister with trying to "whitewash the crime" of 2G spectrum.
The report by the government's auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), said losses from the allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008 could add upto Rs. 1.76 lakh crore. The report pushed A Raja to resign as Telecom Minister in November last year.

Meanwhile, the CBI registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe the role of certain public sector banks, including the State Bank of India, for providing loans to certain companies who were allocated the 2G Spectrum in 2007-08 including Uninor and STel.

Resource:- http://www.hindustantimes.com/2G-SC-sends-notices-to-11-telecos-TRAI/H1-Article1-648457.aspx

Supreme Court to hear 2G spectrum case today

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Monday two petitions seeking cancellation of all the licenses of 2G spectrum issued by former Communications Minister A Raja.




The petitioners, Janata Party President Subramaniam Swamy and Prashant Bhushan, an advocate, have prayed to the apex court that in view of the collosal loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crores caused to the national exchequer by A. Raja who allotted 2G spectrum licenses in gross violation of the government policy and rules, all the 122 licenses should be cancelled.



Swamy slams Sibal's remarks on CAG projection of 2G loss



The court last week upheld Swamy's plea who also wanted the court to appoint him as one of the public prosecutors.



Swamy earlier criticised Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal after he rubbished the CAG report, which said the scam cost the state a loss of 1.76 lakh crore.



Sibal, however, said he respected the CAG, but was extremely pained at the methodology adopted by CAG for arriving at 2G spectrum (loss) figures that have no basis.



Sibal said he agreed with the CAG on two counts - one, that there was something wrong with the rollout of the telecom policy and two, that there was criminal culpability and which is why the CBI, under the Supreme Court, was investigating the matter.



PM told of spectrum pricing, he had accepted it: Sibal



The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in a report held former Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology A. Raja responsible for causing losses estimated at a whopping rupees 1.76 trillion to the exchequer in 2G telecom spectrum allotments to favoured operators without any auction bids.

Resource:- http://www.sify.com/news/supreme-court-to-hear-2g-spectrum-case-today-news-national-lbkkrcchcdd.html