Telecom officials tried to delay 2G spectrum probe: Ex-CVC

NEW DELHI: As the 2G spectrum case gets murkier, former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha has alleged that the Telecom ministry officials were non-cooperative and had tried to delay the probe undertaken by the anti-corruption watchdog in the matter.

Sinha, who retired in September last year as Central Vigilance Commissioner after a four-year tenure, said the ministry had disobeyed the Commission's advice and gave licenses on first-come first-serve basis as against 0auctioning.

"There was delay on part of telecom ministry officials to reply to queries raised by the Commission in its probe... But somehow, we managed to get the documents needed for the investigation. Based on the investigation, at a glance, it appeared that there had been certain lapses in following government policies," he said.

He said the matter forced the Commission to conduct a direct enquiry into the allocation of spectrum that supports second-generation wireless telephone technology (2G).

"The Central Vigilance Commission from day one felt that auction would have been the best option to distribute spectrum. Even the policy of first-come first-serve was not properly followed. There was no doubt in our mind that things were not properly done," Sinha, who was then at the helm of the affairs of the CVC, said.

He said the initial investigations conducted by the CVC found that licenses were given to companies who did not comply with eligibility criteria.

Explaining the detailed investigation undertaken by the probity watchdog, he said, "A detailed enquiry by the Commission found certain lapses in the process... some of the companies, which got the spectrum, did not meet eligibility criteria."

Sinha said the probe proved instances of criminal conspiracy in distribution of the 2G spectrum.

"These lapses needed to be further probed for any criminal liabilities by a specialised agencies. There was a clear vigilance angle in this case.... Hence the case was handed over to the CBI for further investigations," he said.