CAG denies reports on ready for impeachment in 2G case

NEW DELHI: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai today described as "baseless" reports that he was ready to face impeachment proceedings in Parliament over the report on the 2G spectrum allocation issue.

"I find the report to be totally baseless", Rai said in a communication to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman M M Joshi.

He was reacting to media reports which had said that Rai, on the sidelines of a PAC meeting, had dared the Congress to impeach him in Parliament.

"I write to confirm that I have neither met nor discussed with any Member of Parliament before or after the PAC meeting...You are yourself aware of deliberations. I am bringing this on record to you for action as you deem appropriate", he said in his letter to Joshi.

CAG, it was also pointed out, was not upset with the proceedings of the PAC meeting on the 2G spectrum allocation case.

According to the reports, at the last PAC meeting, Congress members of the PAC, led by Sanjay Nirupam, wanted Rai to go out of the meeting arguing that former director general of audit (post and telecommunications) R S Singh would not be able to tell his side of the story in presence of the CAG.

Singh is reported to have differences with Rai over the 2G spectrum allocation report which had pegged the losses to the exchequer at Rs 1.76 lakh crore on account of faulty policies of the government.

In the constitutional scheme of things, an incumbent CAG can only be removed by impeachment in Parliament.