Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 - 12:52 pm:

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Sagar:

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Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 - 10:43 am:

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court virtually asked the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) to explain why he is still the Telecom Minister, given that he is the focus of a massive investigation. Then different Opposition parties rallied together, asking that he resign.

A Raja isn't about to oblige. "If necessary I can quit," said the Telecom Minister, "but where is the necessity?"

The Supreme Court, however, seems to disagree. When told on Friday that the CBI needs another six months to investigate the 2G telecom scam, the court was blunt. "You haven't done anything... it's a slipshod investigation... the same Minister is continuing. Do you follow the same standards for everyone?" The judges asked.

Early in 2008, the Department of Telecom, with Raja as the minister, decided not to auction 2G spectrum. Instead, eight companies were given pan-India license for Rs. 1,658 crore each. Among them, real estate companies who quickly resold their licenses for massive profits.

The Opposition contends that the deal was a collusion between Raja and the companies who benefited from his first-come-first-serve policy. The government, they say, lost close to Rs. 69,000 crore because the spectrum was not auctioned.

"It's high time Raja resigned immediately. If he continues the case will not reach its logical conclusion and the PM should intervene," said the Left's Nilotpal Basu.

The BJP channeled the Supreme Court's comments to back its persistent complaint - that the government uses the CBI as an extension to protect or target other leaders, depending on their affiliation. "The way the CBI has acted strangely in the 2G spectrum case, it shows the government is playing with the institutions which are supposed to uphold the spirit of the constitution," said BJP's Tarun Vijay.

This year, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reported that the allotment reflected "favouritism" and had caused gigantic losses to the government. Raja's lawyers say that this was a draft report, and cannot be considered conclusive.

The CBI began investigating the case late last year. The Supreme Court is hearing the case based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). In October last year, the CBI raided offices of the Department of Telecommunication in connection with the scam. Raja has consistently held the Cabinet was aware of his decisions on 2G.

In May this year, the Prime Minister defended Raja stating that "What he did was implement a policy that was already in place." Raja is a key member of the DMK which is an ally of the UPA government.

That's the x-factor, says the Opposition, in Raja's favour.

The Congress chose to keep its distance from the latest court developments. "We continue to have the highest regard and respect for the Supreme Court. If the court has made some observations I am sure the government will take cognizance," said party spokesperson Manish Tewari.

Less than a month ago, the CBI was pulled up by the Supreme Court for filing an FIR against unknown persons in the 2G scam. The judges asked if the CBI did not know who it was investigating.

What is 2G scam?
The 2G scam is alleged to be one of the biggest scams in India
In 2008, Telecom Ministry is said to have given away spectrum at a fraction of market price, causing a loss of Rs. 69,000 crore to the national exchequer
Telecom Ministry chose not to auction spectrum instead, it followed a "first-come-first-serve principle"
Eight players were given pan-India licenses for Rs. 1,658 crore each
Some of these companies later sold their licenses for massive profits


Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cbi-slammed-by-supreme-cou rt-over-alleged-2g-scam-63215?cp

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Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 - 10:18 am:

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan says that he has not abused his position as the Chief Minister to help his relatives get flats in Mumbai's controversial Adarsh Society.

The 31-storey high-rise in Colaba has become the catchment area for a massive political controversy. It was meant to be used to provide heavily-discounted housing for war widows and veterans. Instead, the welcome sign might as well read "VVIPs live here."

Former army chiefs, politicians and bureaucrats have all been allotted flats here for a fraction of the market rate. Records show that two members of Chavan's family - he describes them as distant relatives - are among the 104 allottees for Adarsh Society. However, he stressed that they have not taken possession of these flats and are willing to return them. Any allegations that he influenced the allotment of flats, he says, are politically motivated.

The CBI is now investigating the scam. Stung by allegations that senior army officials were part of a conspiracy to grab flats they were not eligible for, the Army has announced its own inquiry.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chavan-accepts-relatives-h ave-flats-in-adarsh-society-63305?cp

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Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 - 10:02 am:

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The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the CBI for its tardy progress in the investigations in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in which the alleged role of Telecom Minister A. Raja has come under the scanner.

"You (CBI) have not done anything. Is that the way Government functions? Do you follow the same standards in other cases? One year has (already) gone by," a bench comprising Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly said.

The remarks of the bench came as soon as Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval began responding to the submissions made by counsel for an NGO which has brought the issue before the apex court.

When the ASG was explaining the enormity, complexity and volume of the documents involved in the issue required some more time to complete the investigation, the bench interrupted and said, "Let us cut short (submissions)."

"You are dragging your feet," it said.

However, Raval said the complex nature of the issue was the reason that the investigations into the scam has taken some time.

He said to maintain continuity, the investigation is being carried out in the right earnest and senior officials of competence are conducting investigations into all aspects of the matter.

At this point, the bench quipped, "Will it take another 10 years?"

The ASG replied that the investigation will be completed within six months.

The court adjourned the matter to November 15 as Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium was not present due to ill health.

The bench said it will hold a thorough hearing when Subramanium appears before the court on the next date and it would like to have answers to some of the questions.

During the last date of hearing on October 21, the draft reports of the CAG, which pointed out that the scam on 2G spectrum allocation caused a loss of Rs 1.4 lakh crore to the exchequer, was placed before the Supreme Court.

The two draft reports were placed by the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, which had alleged irregularities in allocation of spectrum.

The apex court had earlier asked the Department of Telecom to respond to the CAG report pointing out large-scale irregularities and favouritism allegedly by telecom minister Raja.

The Apex Court had asked government to go through the draft report alleging that the Ministry of Telecom ignored the advice of the Law Ministry and the Prime Minister and allotted the license by favouring "ineligible" companies at lower rate by arbitrarily deciding the cut-off date.

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