New Delhi:
Former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura on Tuesday sought to put the responsibility of major decisions taken ahead of granting 2G licences on A Raja and said he differed with the then telecom minister on first-come-first-serve policy for allocation of the spectrum.
Deposing before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) looking into the 2G spectrum allocation case, Mr Behura, a key accused in the 2G scam case, said the first-come-first-serve (FCFS) policy was followed for compliance of letter of intent (LOI) and not for processing.
"He conceded that he had some difference of opinion with the minister on this position... but the minister said the decision in this regard was already taken. Behura was of the opinion that the inter se seniority of applicants based on their date of application be maintained," committee Chairman PC Chacko told reporters after the meeting.
He said the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) deviated from the FCFS policy in 2008 as seniority of applicants, which was to be decided after the date of receipt of the application in DOT central registry, was instead decided as per the date of compliance of the LOI.
Mr Behrua informed the committee that he was of the opinion that if more than one applicant complied with the condition of the LOI, then their inter se seniority of submission should be taken. Mr Chacko said that Mr Behura had prepared a note in support of his opinion.
"But the minister did not agree and he deleted the observation and wrote on the file 'not necessary as it is a new stipulation'. This is where he said there was a difference of opinion," he said quoting the submission of Mr Behura.
The former Telecom Secretary, who is out on bail, told the panel that he had found the decision to change the cut-off date from October 30, 2007, to September 25, 2007, as "unusual". But Mr Chacko said he had no difference of opinion on this issue with Mr Raja.
Mr Behura is also learnt to have told the JPC that major decisions like revision in cut-off date, acceptance of the TRAI recommendations by the Telecom Commission and re-interpretation of the first-come-first-serve policy took place before he took up the position in January, 2008.
Mr Chacko said Mr Behura justified shifting of the cut-off date by claiming that by the time a note was submitted to the Telecom Minister on availability of spectrum, 575 applications were already received and it was not possible to consider all of them.
He said by shifting the cut-off date, only 232 applications remained. "The situation demanded such a decision," Mr Chacko said quoting Mr Behura. A reference was later made to TRAI on the future of the remaining applications.
Mr Behura was asked about the postponement of a meeting of the full Telecom Commission on January 9, 2008, to January 15 against the backdrop of DOT issuing 2G licences on January 10.
Amid allegations that the postponement did not allow the Commission an opportunity to discuss the matter, Mr Behura said since issuance of licences was a routine matter, it was not part of the meeting's agenda.
He blamed the postponement on delayed preparation of agenda papers which should be circulated to members 48 hours in advance.
To a question on 85 licences granted to ineligible applicants, he said the Telecom Secretary had little role in it as the issue is handled by the access service cell headed by a deputy director general.
On issuing licence to Unitech Infra Private Limited despite it having a share capital of Rs 5 lakh instead of the stipulated Rs 10 crore, he said he relied on the opinion provided by his subordinates.
When asked whether Mr Raja could be summoned to corroborate the statement of Mr Behura, Mr Chacko said that whatever the former Telecom Secretary had said could be checked through documents available with the panel. "We will call a witness if we get something new," he said adding any decision to call Raja will be taken by the committee later.
Mr Behura said he had met the then Cabinet Secretary and the then Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister during courtesy calls after joining the department and the issue of 2G did not come up for discussion.