As the Supreme Court persistently questioned the CBI for the manner it is pursuing the 2G spectrum scam case particularly regarding the role of former telecom minister A. Raja, it has come on record how the minister had snubbed the then telecom secretary and DoT’s member (finance) for raising objections on fixing spectrum price based on 2001 market value.
The minister had rebuked the two officers for raising the objections on the fixation of the price stating that they had no “knowledge” of the issue and had they studied it properly.
The rude snub to the telecom secretary and DoT’s member (finance) came in a note put up by Raja in the file overruling their objections on fixing 2G spectrum price at `1,600 in January 2008 on the basis of 2001 market value.
Mr Raja’s note has been recorded in CAG report, which the counsel for NGO Centre for PIL, Prashant Bhushan quoted word by word in the apex court during the hearing.
“They have no knowledge of the matter or had not studied the files properly. They have vested interest in it,” Mr Raja’s note said as read out by Bhushan from the CAG report over which CBI counsel K.K. Venugopal had raised serious objection.
Besides, the petitioner’s counsel pointed out from the CAG report that the meeting of telecom commission fixed for January 9, 2008 — a day before the letter of intent (LIO) were issued to companies after depositing `1,600 as fee for spectrum licence — was suddenly deferred for January 15.
The telecom commission was supposed to discuss the 2G spectrum pricing issue in the scheduled meeting on January 9.
In response to a specific query from Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly of the top court bench, Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam acknowledged that spectrum pricing was one of the agenda in the scheduled meeting of telecom commission.
To another query, the S-G said a circular was issued on January 7, 2008 for deferring the meeting for January 15. But he said he could not specify the reasons why it was deferred.
While observing that the CAG report was “replete” with questionable the actions of Mr Raja, the bench also had questioned as what was the “protocol” if a Cabinet minister overruled the suggestions of the Prime Minister in a policy matter.
The poser came from the bench after it was indicated form PM’s letter to Mr Raja that Dr Manmohan Singh had cautioned him that several questions were being raised by the subscribers and in the media about the 2G spectrum issue and he should maintain utmost “transparent and fairness” while deciding the issue.
“What is the protocol when a minister writes back to the Prime Minister on the policy when he makes substantial changes in the policy. After all it is the matter of collective responsibility,” Justice Ganguly asked the government law officers, who preferred to maintain silence.