New Delhi:
How much exactly did the telecom scam, allegedly constructed by A Raja, cost India? The price tag has, in the last few days, taken top billing at two different parliamentary committees that are investigating the swindle to assign accountability.
The problem is that the government's auditor presents differing opinions. On one hand, RP Singh, who was in charge of the audit, says the "actual loss" adds up to 2600 crores. His boss, Vinod Rai, who is the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), estimates that Mr Raja's actions cost India 1.76 lakh crores. It is this figure that was presented in the CAG's official report to Parliament, submitted in November, resulting in political convulsions that are still on display.
Today, Mr Rai appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which is made up of about 30 members from different political parties. Mr Rai testified that he stands by the contents of his report. Yesterday, Mr Singh told the same committee that he believes his calculations were right - he says the cabinet in 2008 and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had decided that an auction of spectrum was inadvisable. Estimates like the 1.76 lakh crores figure, he said, are the equivalent of "a mathematical guess." Mr Singh says he based his calculations on the fact that the entry fee charged by Mr Raja for telecom licenses was based on rates decided in 2001. By factoring in inflation, the losses are in the neighbourhood of 2600 crores. Mr Singh also suggested, say sources, that he was not given enough time to read the final report, and signed off on it because he was following the orders of his seniors.
Mr Rai differed with his junior today. "It was after a long and extensive process of scrutiny, review, and verification that the final figures in the final report were decided", Mr Rai said, defending the loss figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore accruing out of the 2G scam. He also said that the government cannot orchestrate a "no loss" hypothesis - ministers like Kapil Sibal have said the scam did not cost India any money, given the policies that existed at the time.
Referring to criticism from the government - including the Prime Minister - Mr Rai said that an adversarial relationship between the government and his office is "inherent" and that accusations from the government that his team has exceeded its mandate is "along expected lines."