New Delhi: As the government works overtime to clean different stains of corruption, Prasar Bharati CEO BS Lalli is being escorted towards the exit door.
On Thursday, President Pratibha Patil okayed a government request that asked for a Supreme Court judge to look into corruption charges against Mr Lalli.
The President has said it is upto the government to decide if Mr Lalli should be suspended while the inquiry is conducted.
Mr Lalli took over as CEO in December 2006. He was indicted in July this year by the country's top watchdog on corruption - the Central Vigilance Commission - of violating the rules while awarding broadcast rights of cricket matches to private channels. "I would only state that a lot of intrigue and mischief has been going on within the organization which has unfortunately been abetted and encouraged by powerful elements from outside aimed at not only the demonizing of an individual, but also the derailment of a premier democratic institution," said Mr Lalli today in a press release. (Read: Lalli's statement)
Mr Lalli was also recently at the centre of a controversy related to the Commonwealth Games. A Rs 246-crore broadcast rights deal was allegedly riddled with problems - the company that won the contract, SIS Live, had not met the required tax registration formalities; banking and other documents are being studied for discrepancies. SIS Live also sub-contracted its work to a Delhi company named Zoom Communications - Lalli is accused of allowing this without getting the required sanctions from the I&B Ministry.
On Thursday, President Pratibha Patil okayed a government request that asked for a Supreme Court judge to look into corruption charges against Mr Lalli.
The President has said it is upto the government to decide if Mr Lalli should be suspended while the inquiry is conducted.
Mr Lalli took over as CEO in December 2006. He was indicted in July this year by the country's top watchdog on corruption - the Central Vigilance Commission - of violating the rules while awarding broadcast rights of cricket matches to private channels. "I would only state that a lot of intrigue and mischief has been going on within the organization which has unfortunately been abetted and encouraged by powerful elements from outside aimed at not only the demonizing of an individual, but also the derailment of a premier democratic institution," said Mr Lalli today in a press release. (Read: Lalli's statement)
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Mr Lalli was also recently at the centre of a controversy related to the Commonwealth Games. A Rs 246-crore broadcast rights deal was allegedly riddled with problems - the company that won the contract, SIS Live, had not met the required tax registration formalities; banking and other documents are being studied for discrepancies. SIS Live also sub-contracted its work to a Delhi company named Zoom Communications - Lalli is accused of allowing this without getting the required sanctions from the I&B Ministry.
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