2G scam: Magistrate records Dayalu Ammal statement

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) on Monday recorded the statement of Dayalu Ammal, wife of DMK chief M Karunanidhi and a 60 per cent stake holder in Kalaignar TV, in the 2G scam. Dayalu Ammal is a prosecution witness in the case. Officials from the CBI, lawyers of other 2G accused, other directors of Kalaignar TV namely Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar and various DMK functionaries were present at the Gopalapuram residence of Karunanidhi where the statement was recorded. 

The CMM arrived at Dayalu Ammal's residence at 10 am and the questioning continued for around 4 hours. A swarm of media persons had also gathered outside the residence. 84-year-old Dayalu Ammal was exempted from a personal appearance at court by the SC, owing to her ill health. She os reportedly suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia. When asked if her answers were lucid, Sushil Kumar, counsel for Sharad Kumar said, "Her answers were acceptable to court. The recording of evidence is complete." Senior Public prosecutor of the CBI KK Goel said, "All evidence has been recorded, I cannot express any views about it as the court is seized of the matter. Dayalu Ammal was co-operative." Dayalu Ammal's name cropped up during the investigation of the Rs 200 crore money trail that led to Kalaignar TV. 

Kanimozhi, Stalin and Karunanidhi left the residence after the statement was recorded but none of them came forward to give a statement to the media waiting outside. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan was heard telling reporters that as it was a court proceeding only relevant officials and lawyers were present with Dayalu Ammal when the statement was being recorded. Dayalu Ammal's name cropped up during the investigation of the Rs 200 crore money trail that led to Kalaignar TV, in which she owns 60 per cent stake. Rs 200 crore were allegedly kickbacks from Shahid Balwa's Swan telecom. The money trail led the CBI to charge Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal's step daughter, as a co-conspirator in the 2G scam.

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BJP submits dissent note, says ‘cover-up’ by PM, Chacko

Alleging that the JPC report on the 2G spectrum scam was a "cover-up" to protect the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the BJP Thursday submitted a dissent note saying the report was drafted not by the secretariat but "people in the government". Along with the note, BJP has also submitted a letter to Speaker Meira Kumar saying it feared the JPC chairman may "edit and mutilate" their dissent note.

"The report is flawed from the first page itself. It is a bundle of contradictions, untruths and half truths ... this report has been drafted by the government, and the Prime Minister; Finance Ministry and Department of Telecom are all involved in this cover-up," senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said. Sinha took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and said he should "tear the report when it is tabled in Parliament".

The BJP also slammed JPC chairman and Congress leader P C Chacko of making "every attempt to shield the PM and Finance Minister" and refusing to summon them despite repeated demands. It claimed Chacko was behaving like the "party spokesperson even within the JPC".

Chacko, however, rejected all charges. "Sinha may agree with the report, may not agree with the report, but he should have the courtesy to admit that I conducted the committee most democratically ... All these allegations are out of desperation ... We examined a period of 10 years and there may be some skeletons in the cupboard during the old times ... the committee has done good work and involved everybody," he said, adding "each paragraph" was drafted by the secretariat under his direction.

In its 36-page note, the BJP has taken on Manmohan Singh directly, claiming he and Finance Minister Chidambaram "are equally if not more guilty in the 2G scam" and that the PM "failed to live up to his constitutional duty". It says the Congress members in the JPC were trying to "somehow provide a clean chit to the UPA government." Sinha said the BJP had demanded a JPC probe because it never "imagined that such a time-honoured institution" will be treated in "such a shabby manner by the Congress".

Meanwhile, Chacko accused the BJP of breaching privilege by publicising contents of the report before it was submitted to the Speaker and the House. However, BJP maintained they were discussing the report with the media as "Chacko himself has been violating all rules".

The BJP further objected to the manner in which the JPC report was adopted on September 27, and claimed Chacko had "over-ruled all suggestions and objections and suddenly put the draft report to vote and declared that it has been adopted".

New 2G Bench constituted

NEW DELHI: With one of the current judges on the 2G Bench retiring soon, a new Bench has been constituted by Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam to hear all cases relating to the case. The decision to constitute a new Bench of Justices H L Dattu and K S Radhakrishnan was taken after Justice G S Singhvi wrote to the CJI expressing his desire to be relieved in the light of his impending retirement. Justice Singhvi is retiring in December. The previous Bench, which has been adjudicating 2G cases for more than a year now, comprised Justices Singhvi and Radhakrishnan. ENS

Credits: indianexpress

2G Spectrum auction: Telcos that lost permits may not get chance to bid

Telecom companies whose 2G spectrum allocation permits were cancelled by the Supreme Court may not get another chance to bid for spectrum in the next round of auction, according to official sources.

Inter-miniterial panel Telecom Commission has accepted the recommendation by a Department of Telecom (DoT) committee to remove the eligibility rule that allowed such companies to participate, the sources said.

The DoT committee has suggest that the eligibility condition would require modification with respect to quashed licences as there would be no such licence holder in the next auction. It has suggested that any eligible entity can participate as new entrant or existing licence holder.

This view is different from the one given by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for the third round of spectrum auction.

It recommended that "eligibility conditions prescribed in the recently held auctions (November 2012 and March 2013) should be retained for the upcoming auction".

The DoT committee has said however that it is "of the view that the eligibility condition would require modification with respect to quashed licencee as there would be no quashed licencee in the next auction. This will have to be suitably incorporated in the NIA".

According to sources, Telecom Commission has upheld the views of DoT panel, saying that "Recommendations of DoT's committee may be accepted".

TC is expected to take final view on all recommendations of Trai on October 29 which will be then send to Empowered Group of Ministers on spectrum, headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, for final decision.

In February last year, the Supreme Court had cancelled 122 telecom licences in the 2G spectrum allocation case. They covered 22 licences of Uninor, 21 of Loop Telecom, 21 of Sistema-Shyam, 15 of Etisalat DB, 6 of S Tel, 21 of Videocon, 3 of Tatas and 9 of Idea Cellular.

They were able to get benefit of government decision to set-off the amount they paid for impacted permits against final price they had to pay for spectrum in auctions.

Uninor, Sistema Shyam, Videocon and Idea Cellular were among those companies that were allowed to adjust the licence fee they paid for quashed licences.

Loop Telecom, Etisalat DB, S Tel and Tata Teleservices have so far not participated in auctions.

Foreign investor in Loop Telecom, Khaitan Holdings Mauritius Ltd, has filed international arbitration against Indian government seeking damages of about USD 1.5 billion in the matter.

Meanwhile, TC has given in-principle approval to spectrum trading recommendation of Trai which would allow telecom firms to take spectrum from other companies.

Credits: indianexpress