2G: CBI collects documents from Corporate Affairs Ministry

MCA documents deal with shareholding of the company

PTI | November 23, 2010



The CBI has collected documents from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs about companies which were granted Spectrum allegedly in an arbitrary fashion between September 2007 and January 2008.

According to CBI sources, the MCA documents deal with the shareholding of the company and the investments brought in the firms from abroad.

The documents include list of shareholders and whether there was any set of directors during the time of grant of Spectrum who could have influenced the issuance of licences.

Among the companies whose documents were taken for examination included Reliance Communication, Etisalat-DB led by D Balwaa, Loop Telecom and Unitech-owned Uninor.

E-mail requests sent to these companies for reaction remained unanswered.

The CBI had searched some of these companies last year in connection with the Spectrum issue and claimed to have seized documents related to alleged irregularities in allocation of 2G Spectrum to some of the new players.

The CBI registered a case against unknown Department of Telecom officials and unknown private persons and companies charging them with criminal conspiracy and corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act last year.

Ever since the licences were issued in 2008, there has been widespread criticism and claims that there could have been loss of thousands of crores to the exchequer on account of irregularities.

The CBI had searched offices of Wireless Planning Cell (WPC), the department responsible for allocating spectrum, and the office of Deputy Director General (Access Services) of the Telecom Ministry to probe the allegations of connivance of officials with private companies in allocation of Spectrum.

"It has been alleged that there had been serious irregularities in the award of Unified Access Services Licences to private companies.

"As per information received, there was criminal conspiracy between certain officials of DoT and private persons and companies in order to award licences to these companies by putting a cap on the number of applicants against TRAI recommendations," CBI said in its FIR.

It also said the licences had been awarded to private companies on first-come-first-serve basis on the rates of 2001 without any competitive bidding.

 

Comments

 

Other News

How the mind can help the body heal itself

Why do some people recover from illness against all odds? Can our beliefs, emotions and consciousness influence the body’s ability to heal? Drawing on over three decades of experience in medicine, research and medical innovation, internationally trained ophthalmologist and author Dr Dinesh Verma ex

1,364 anti-cancer formulations to cost less from today

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has capped trade margins on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. This was based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee constitute

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

A new retelling of the Mahabharata delves into key moments

In a time when every decision carries consequences and questions of ambition, power, loyalty, identity and moral choice continue to shape our lives, Dr. Arun Krishnan’s new book, ‘Mahakshana’ (Penguin India) offers a strikingly relevant retelling of the Mahabharata.  

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter