Two-G (2G) Spectrum Scam Tapes and follow-up

nelson · Post by **nelson** » 08 Feb 2012 16:31

This is the heights of hypocrisy in the nation.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/2g-or ... eststories

member_21708 · Post by **member_21708** » 08 Feb 2012 20:24

2G Scam: ED registers money laundering case against Maran brothers

February 08, 2012 04:44 PM
The case pertains to an alleged illegal gratification of about Rs550 crore allegedly received by the Maran brothers in the Aircel-Maxis deal

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation case, reports PTI.

The case, registered on Tuesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), pertains to an alleged illegal gratification of about Rs550 crore allegedly received by the Maran brothers in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

Mr Maran, the former Minster of Telecom, had quit from the Union Cabinet last year after allegations were made that he had favoured Malaysian firm Maxis over Aircel in grant of telecom licences in 2004-05.

Mr Maran had denied the allegations. The CBI too is probing Mr Maran and his brother and Sun TV managind director Kalanidhi in connection with these allegations.

The agency is also investigating the case for alleged contraventions of foreign exchange rules in this deal as it registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), an equivalent of the FIR.

The agency has also registered another case in the 2G case, pertaining to the NDA regime and has named former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh, then deputy director general J R Gupta and few telecom companies for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional 2G spectrum during 2001-03.

ED will now record the statements of the individuals named in its ECIR.

http://www.moneylife.in/article/2g-scam ... 23534.html

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 09 Feb 2012 13:11

Citing BJP pressure in Jayalalithaa case, Karnataka AG quits

The BJP is hardly covering itself in glory,while we ruminate about thugs like maaran,baalu and raja.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 09 Feb 2012 14:51

svenkat wrote:Citing BJP pressure in Jayalalithaa case, Karnataka AG quits

The BJP is hardly covering itself in glory,while we ruminate about thugs like maaran,baalu and raja.

Yup you know its fine, there was grounds of conflict of interest if he was AG in Kkta and also a prosecutor in Jaya case. Either way there would be charges.

He was asked to chose one; and he made his choice. What is wrong in that?

I think it was a good step by all concerned -- imagine Jaya getting a clean chit with Kkta AG as prosecutor, major scandal -- this was no issues.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 10 Feb 2012 10:40

Kind of Tricks now the BJP fellows will learn from the INC as they get used to being in politics over time.

SMK was ‘smart’ in illegal deals: Santosh Hegde

Addressing the Media here on Thursday, Justice Hegde said: “It was not possible to name Krishna in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining. Not only did he make his followers handle all forest and mining deals, but he also saw to it that he did not hold the mining and forest portfolios.”
Hegde added: “Krishna also saw to it that not a single signature of his was on any paper/ document relating to mining. He also managed to take collective decisions on mining.” On the fate of his report submitted to the government, Justice Hegde remarked that he spent four years to prepare it but added that the government isn’t ready to accept it.

Seems to me the INC model is where a lower level beauracrat and ministers like Raja take the hit with signatures while they go scot free.

For eg. max term Raja can expect from 2G - 5yrs -10 yrs.

Kind of like when a rich man son in a late night accident kills 10 people and in the morning the driver surrenders spends 7 years in Jail , while his family is well taken care of during that time and he is made a rich guy once he comes out.

Or like when a Mafia boss wants a hit job there is very little paper trial to link him to the crime. Only the pawn on the ground gets jailed.

Or like Ajmal Kasab does a 26/11 with no direct link to Kiyani.

Now thats why Lokpal should cover all junior bureaucrats, CBI , Junior ministers, IAS and police.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 10 Feb 2012 11:56

Liquor raids in Andhra: Big fish go scot-free

Reason: High political pressure as some ministers themselves are involved in liquor business in the city.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 10 Feb 2012 23:16

Hegde wasn't looking deep enough besides he had an agenda to get BJP.

"BJP gets pilloried for virtual crimes, while INC gets scot free for actual crimes!"

When Hegde was in power, what did he do to investigate SM Krishna?

member_20617 · Post by **member_20617** » 13 Feb 2012 16:53

ramana wrote:Hegde wasn't looking deep enough besides he had an agenda to get BJP.

"BJP gets pilloried for virtual crimes, while INC gets scot free for actual crimes!"

When Hegde was in power, what did he do to investigate SM Krishna?

Ramanaji, you are right.

Yeh sab chachi ke chamche (CkC) hain!

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 14 Feb 2012 20:49

Hilarious read, folks...

'Have enough scams in laptop to give sleepless nights’

First I thought he meant GBs of p0run.

Head of the BJP scam expose committee Kirit Somaiya claims to have unraveled "100 cases of proven corruption in Mayaraj" which were later complied in a booklet and released with much aplomb by the saffron party. There are 17 cases in the pile which, if taken up seriously, will actually lead to dozens of netas and bureaucrats ending up in prison, Kirit says.

Corruption. This malaise has stunted UP's growth. Scams like group housing scheme in Noida which was to offer affordable houses to middle class only ended up filling up the coffers of Maya and the coterie. Now, JP Group has announced withdrawal (second in succession) from the Karchana power plant which was offered to them on a platter with all possible privileges by BSP regime. The ultimate loser is the consumer and the state even as Maya's brother floats a private airline

Look at Bundelkhand. The roads there, I discovered, are made only on papers. Then I also found that urea in the blackmarket, even farmers wait desperately for the consignment. All this will have a rippling effect.

Q:Any emerging trends that you noticed?

Yes. UPites prefer Andhra pattern of swindling. Therefore, you see them floating bogus companies for money laundering and layered action plan. Mayawati's friends and family have set up at least 300 such firms. The scale and brazenness of it all's nothing short of astonishing.

ensoi

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 15 Feb 2012 02:57

http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=751391

BJP today said CBI chief A P Singh's comments on Indian illegal money stashed away abroad were on the same lines as expressed by its leaders over the years and demanded that the funds be brought back and the guilty punished.

"It is heartening to note that ultimately the CBI Director has practically endorsed what BJP has been shouting from the roof tops on the issue of black money for more than five years. He has endorsed the estimate of black money stashed away in foreign banks at Rs 25 lakh crore ($ 500 billion)," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

Funny comment ...

A day at CON party office

Sonia (grumbling): How dare he? Is this CBI officer a yindoo radical right wing RSS fella? I think so. Calling Divckvijay! Come in ... Come in...

DivckVijay: DivckVijay... What's up madam? May all Hindu Gods touch your feet madam! May all Hindus die ASAP madam! How can I help you?

Sonia: Ye CBI officer kaun hai? kya kahe rah hai? How dare he? Why he is saying all this bakwas?

DivkVijay: Sorry madam! These unclean, dark, brown bad yindoos are all RSS folks madam. We will implicate him in some Hindu/Saffron terrorist network madam. I think he is involved in Bomb blasts. Don't worry madam. I will call NIA to check his background, find some files and put him in the dock. Abhi Abhi Burkha Dutt, NDTV, CNN/IBN ko call kiya. They will get all his personal files from CBI and they will disclose his secrets madam.

Sonia: Jaldo karo kuch you idiot! Where are that losers Salman Krushid and Kapil Sibal? Ask them to do some thing too .. ithar meta beta, beti, damad sab UP logon ko ullu bana raha hai. uthar some stupid brown servant officer is trying to spoil ...

Divkvijay: yes madam... in 2 mins.. picking up phone madam! May all Hindu Gods touch your feet madam!

HEADLINES in NDTV, CNN, TOI, IE,

CBI officer who talked about Swiss accounts is ex-RSS man with links to Samjhuta blasts, Malegoan, Delhi, Mumbai, Varnaasi, Gujarat. NIA discovered all this in the last 24 seconds....

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 16 Feb 2012 01:28

Template of SOP of UPA in dealing with crises

member_21708 · Post by **member_21708** » 20 Feb 2012 17:07

2G probe: ED, I-T, CBI chiefs to appear before CVC

Agencies : New Delhi, Mon Feb 20 2012, 14:12 hrs

The probe into the 2G scam has received a momentum with Central Vigilance Commission calling chiefs of all concerned probe agencies to appear before it for briefing on the status and the blue print for further investigation.

Sources said the heads of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax (I-T) Department and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been called from tomorrow for taking stock of the probe into allocation of second generation spectrum to telecom companies.

They said the officials of three the law enforcement agencies have been called on separate days to allow them to submit elaborative presentations on the ongoing probe.

The meeting comes in the wake of a Supreme Court verdict, directing the CBI to file status reports on its ongoing probe into the spectrum case to the CVC.

While hearing a plea, the apex court has also cancelled 122 2G licences given to telecom companies in 2008, holding that they were issued in a "totally arbitrary and unconstitutional manner". The apex court has also asked the government to initiate a process to allot fresh licences based on auction of spectrum.

The sources said while the CBI team will appear before the commission tomorrow, that from the ED is scheduled to furnish its submissions on February 22 and Income Tax Department on February 24.

"The officials will give their presentations before the anti-corruption watchdog. Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar, along with the senior officials of the CVC, will also be present during the meeting," they said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/2g-pr ... vc/914375/

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 20 Feb 2012 22:40

Grapevine
20 February 2012 pioneer .Agrawal as CIC

Reports are doing the rounds in Government circles that noted RTI activist Subash Chandra Agrawal may be appointed as one of the Commissioners in the Central Information Commission. Agrawal, who files minimum five applications per day under RTI, has played a big role in exposing the UPA Government’s misdeeds. By making him the Information Commissioner, the Government can hope to silence this trouble-maker.

gunjur · Post by **gunjur** » 21 Feb 2012 23:36

Cross posting from Indian Telecom thread.
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 0#p1245240

Also RIL which holds license for wireless broadband and hence is barred from providing voice services. But as per latest telecom policy unveiled by sibal, a company can buy spectrum at market price or rent spectrum of another operator. Though this may very well be seen as a initiative to help those players who had lost out due to court verdict (maybe one could say, this policy had some reliant tweaks ). And as a result of this, no wonder reliance also stands to benefit( is this surprising?? ).

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 22 Feb 2012 18:50

See the Psy-ops Here

Kripashankar Singh resigns as Mumbai Congress chief

from the link first para

Kripashankar Singh, Mumbai Pradesh Congress Chief, has resigned from the post in the wake of party's poor showing in the civic elections last week.

"Kripashankar Singh sent his resignation on the day the results of the election to Brihan Mumbai Corporation were out. It has been accepted," Mohan Prakash, Congress leader in charge of Maharashtra, told reporters on Wednesday.

and then the real reason

The announcement of the resignation came on a day the Bombay High Court asked the Mumbai Police to seek sanction for prosecution of Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a PIL against him on allegations of amassing income disproportionate to income.

'

Anther 420 I say.

But there will be no debate on this for 2 days unlike Karnataka minister for watching a ***** clip which dominated headlines- what fairness.

HC asks police to prosecute Mum Cong chief Kripashankar

The immovable properties of Kripashankar shall be attached. We do not want to pass any directions regarding the bank accounts of the respondents as it is alleged that the money might have been washed out,” the court said.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 24 Feb 2012 20:59

Jairam Ramesh claims Kalam's PURA project is a failure. If it is so then it must be his fault for Kalam is not in power to implement the project.

Kalam's PURA project a complete failure: Jairam Ramesh

Now he turns around and claims to save the PURA project!

See the double game. Destroy projects envisoned by non-INC leaders and then revive them in 2G's name.

Arav · Post by **Arav** » 25 Feb 2012 13:01

WiMax deal: BSNL officials houses raided

The CBI on Saturday registered a fresh case in connection with alleged irregularities in awarding BSNL’s WiMax franchise to a private firm, considered close to ex-Telecom Minister A. Raja, and carried out searches across four cities.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 28 Feb 2012 04:43

One thing is interesting that INC has a long history of hafta vasool from Indian business interests.

Before Independence, the Birlas and Bajajs used to fund the INC via Gandhiji and Sardar Patel. Once they left the scene and JLN launched his pseudo-socialist policies it was government scams that funded the INC coffers: Jeep scandal, Mundhra LIC scandal, Teja Shipping co., scandal, SBI Delhi branch scandal what not. All the above were under JLN and Mrs G.
Where Rajiv went over the top was to scam the Bofors purchase and HDW(?). The payoff was bigger and the penalty was equally big.

He got tagged with the chor label from which they haven't recovered.

Off course all those are small scams in comparison to UPA acheivements.

member_21708 · Post by **member_21708** » 01 Mar 2012 23:39

‘Etisalat not quitting India'

BARCELONA, March 1, 2012
Officials of UAE-based Etisalat met Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal to discuss the company's future course of action following the Supreme Court judgment quashing its 15 licences.

After meeting the top officials of the company on the sidelines of the ongoing Mobile World Congress, Mr. Sibal told PTI, “They do not have any intention of opting out but they would definitely like to see everything and the final outcome of the recommendations.”

Etisalat had “no intention of quitting India,'' he said. On February 22, Etisalat announced that it would shut down its Indian operation — Etisalat DB — that has over 16.7 lakh mobile subscribers across 15 circles including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Mumbai and Punjab.

http://www.thehindu.com/business/compan ... 951116.ece

member_21708 · Post by **member_21708** » 03 Mar 2012 15:13

Govt, Raja, Uninor, Sistema back in SC on telecom verdict
http://business-standard.com/india/news ... ct/466591/

member_21708 · Post by **member_21708** » 06 Mar 2012 18:44

2G scam case: CBI files more documents in the court

New Delhi: The CBI submitted today to a Delhi court yet more documents related to the 2G spectrum allocation case amid various defense counsel opposing the agency’s way of filing documents in installments.

Special Judge OP Saini, however, took the CBI documents on record after counsel for various accused in the case relented to it as the court directed the CBI to file all relevant documents in the case, possibly in one go as far as feasible.

The counsel also argued the agency should be stopped from this kind of practice. Reuters

“Whatever documents are there in the possession of the CBI or seized by it should be filed in the court,” Special CBI Judge OP Saini said.

As CBI prosecutor AK Singh filed an application to submit more documents to the beginning of the day’s proceedings, the defence counsel began opposing CBI’s plea saying it should not be allowed as it would prejudice the case against the accused.

The counsel also argued the agency should be stopped from this kind of practice as they file documents in middle of the trial which would adversely affect the case of the accused.

“This is not an ordinary trial. Eyes of the whole nation are on this case and the Supreme Court is also monitoring its proceedings. The CBI’s application does not deserve to be allowed and if it is allowed, two things should be made clear that no other application of this kind will be approved in future and the court should also decide how we will cross examine previous witnesses.

“The CBI is creating an unnecessary hurdle in smooth functioning of this trial,” said counsel Majid Memon for accused DB Realty MD Vinod Goenka.

The arguments advanced by various defence counsel opposing CBI’s application prompted the judge to ask the agency as to how long will it continue filing additional documents.

“How many times it will be continued?,” the judge said.

To this, the CBI prosecutor said he was not in a position to answer the question as it was upto the investigating officer (IO) of the case.

http://www.firstpost.com/fwire/2g-scam- ... 36583.html

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 07 Mar 2012 20:47

Who is Lt-Gen Tejinder Singh?

Those involved in the making of purchases for security agencies under the Home Ministry or the PMO say that retired Lt-General Tejinder Singh,who has been explicitly accused by the Army of having floated reports that Chief of Army Staff General V K Singh spied on Defense Minister A K Antony, is not an unknown figure within the world of suppliers of equipment. One source said that Tejinder Singh "operates in tandem with a Major Hooda (retd) and his son, both of whom are well known to Karthik Chidambaram,the influential son of Home Minister P Chidambaram". The younger Hooda, a presumed relative of the Haryana Chief Minister, is alleged to be "active in promoting the products of certain agencies, including foreign entities". These sources claim that Tejinder Singh was very close to a former Chief of Army Staff and that he "knows the incoming Chief of Army Staff,Lt-General Bikramjit Singh, very well". None of these claims could be verified,especially suggestions that a such link "could influence procurement decisions by the Army in the future". General V K Singh is known to have had a series of battles with established cartels involved in military procurement,unlike some of his predecessors,who "played along with such elements". That the incoming Chief of Army Staff has very powerful support within the UPA was made clear by the government's decision to announce that he would succeed General V K Singh,even if the latter were to quit prematurely. It needs to be said that Lt-General Bikramjit Singh is widely regarded as a capable officer,with an excellent record in counter-insurgency operations.

Surprisingly,the CBI has thus far not shown any interest in investigating the many allegations that Lt-General Tejinder Singh,Major Hooda and others are involved in efforts to influence procurement decisions in the Home and Defense Ministries,besides those in NTRO,RAW and the Aviation Research Service. Reports of suspicious transactions in these agencies have been buried under a carpet of official indifference. By avoiding an enquiry, what has happened is that the miasma of suspicion that is hovering over the head of Karthik Chidambaram is continuing. Numerous sources allege "undue attention and interest" by the young politician in matters relating to equipment suggested as being needed for national security. There is every likelihood that such charges against Karthik are false, and motivated by jealously at his swift rise in business and politics. However, given the clout of the Home Minister in matters relating to promotions of IPS officers,the inaction of the CBI has given rise to speculation about the agency's motivation in rejecting an enquiry. Interestingly,a source claims that "one of the national security agencies of the Government of India recently asked for an enquiry into Hooda and Singh by both CBI and IB",but to no avail, "as high-level circles shield the two" . The Army has finally come out in the open about the mysterious retired armyman,who moves in very influential circles in Delhi,and directly tied him to the ongoing - and vicious - campaign against General Singh. It needs to be added that Defense Minister A K Antony has thus far kept himself scrupulously away from this campaign,although he has endorsed the view that Lt-General Bikramjit Singh is the fittest officer to be the new COAS.

Sources tracking procurement within the services are,in the words of a senior officer, afraid that "once the new Chief of Army Staff takes office,enquiries initiated by General Singh may get discontinued",thereby enabling officers guilty of graft and worse to escape. Hopefully,such a suspicion will be shown to be unfounded,come June 1,2012,and that the new Chief of Army Staff will continue the house-cleaning initiated by his predecessor. General Bikramjit Singh needs to show that he is in the tradition of those fighting graft,rather than in that of certain predecessors who are known to have done the opposite

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/investig ... nder-singh

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 16 Mar 2012 19:22

SC sets up special bench to deal with 2G cases

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sc-sets-up-s ... 861-3.html

A special two-judge bench was on Friday constituted by Chief Justice S H Kapadia for hearing all cases concerning the 2G spectrum allocation scam. In view of a large number of petitions and applications being filed in the apex court by the Centre, telecom companies and others after it passed the order cancelling 122 telecom licences, Justice Kapadia constituted the bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and A K Patnaik.

"There is a direction that all 2G matters be taken up by by a special bench comprising me and Justice A K Patnaik," Justice Singhvi said while hearing an appeal filed by Janata Party president Subramanium Swamy challenging the trial court's order giving clean chit to Home Minister P Chidambaram in the scam.

He directed the Supreme Court registry to take instruction from the CJI so that Swamy's case could be heard by the special bench.

The bench was constituted as Justice A K Ganguly, who had passed the orders in the scam along with Justice Singhvi, has retired.

The bench had passed a slew of judgements in the scam including the order cancelling the 122 2G spectrum licences granted by former Telecom Minister A Raja and held that first-come-first served (FCFS) policy could not be used for allocation of natural resources.

It had also pulled up the PMO for sitting on the complaint filed against Raja and set a time limit of four months for the government to take a decision on granting sanction to prosecute a corrupt public servant.

In the aftermath of the apex court verdicts, several petitions have been filed seeking review, clarification and recall of its order by the Centre, telecom companies, NGOs and Raja.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 19 Mar 2012 21:50

Fresh documents prove that 2G buck does not stop with Chidambaram

"The orders to save Chidambaram have come from Sonia Gandhi" -- India Today on 2G scam time-line November -December 2007

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.ca/2012/ ... l?spref=tw

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 22 Mar 2012 07:20

Govt lost Rs 10.7 lakh crore by not auctioning coal blocks: CAG

Sanjay Dutta, TNN | Mar 22, 2012, 12.34AM IST

NEW DELHI: The CAG is at it again. About 16 months after it rocked the UPA government with its explosive report on allocation of 2G spectrum and licences, the Comptroller & Auditor General's draft report titled 'Performance Audit Of Coal Block Allocations' says the government has extended "undue benefits", totalling a mind-boggling Rs 10.67 lakh crore, to commercial entities by giving them 155 coal acreages without auction between 2004 and 2009. The beneficiaries include some 100 private companies, as well as some public sector units, in industries such as power, steel and cement.

The CAG-estimated loss figure of Rs 10.67 lakh crore at March 31, 2011 prices is six times that of its highest presumptive loss figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore for the 2G scam. This, it says, is actually a conservative estimate, since it takes into account prices for the lowest grade of coal, not the median grade. CAG says even by the price levels prevailing at the time of allocations, the estimate of loss would be over Rs 6.31 lakh crore.

Here's how the auditor has calculated the "windfall gains". First, an estimate of the cost of production for each block was arrived at by taking into account the actual cost of production in a similar Coal India mine for the same year. Then the difference between CIL's sale price and cost of production was multiplied by 90% of the reserves in each block. The figure thus obtained was the windfall gain for that block.

The reasoning behind taking 90% of the total reserves rather than the entire lot, according to CAG, is that "detailed exploration establishes reserves at a confidence level of 90%". The report points out that the coal ministry had maintained in 2004 that the chances of any allocatee not being able to recover this much from the reserves "would be, if at all, very remote". CAG has added that "the actual amount of gain to the allocatees may change depending upon the mining plan, cost of extraction of coal, market price of coal and quality".

The 110-page draft report, a copy of which is with TOI, takes into account the coal ministry's views and, sources say, is as good as a final report. It is expected to be tabled in Parliament after the Union Budget is passed. Calculated on the basis of the 90% of coal reserves indicated in the geological reports for each block, the auditors have worked out a total of 33,169 million tonnes (MT). Industry sources say this would be enough to fuel over 150,000 mw of generation capacity-a little less than the country's current level-for 50 years.

The report has listed both private entities and public utilities as beneficiaries of the alleged largesse. It says private firms cornered more than Rs 4.79 lakh crore of the giveaway, while around Rs 5.88 lakh crore went to government utilities. Significantly, most PSUs employ private miners to extract the coal.

Among the major private sector beneficiaries are Tata Group entities, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Electro Steel Castings Ltd, the Anil Agarwal Group firms, Delhi-based Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd, Jayaswal Neco, Nagpur-based Abhijeet Group, and Aditya Birla Group companies. Essar Group's power ventures, Adani Group, Arcelor Mittal India, Lanco Group and a host of small to medium players also figure in the list.

A major player in power, Reliance Power, which is setting up the Sasan and Tilayia ultra-mega power projects (UMPPs), is missing from the list because the section on "Windfall benefit to private companies" does not include 12 coal blocks given for the government's showpiece power projects as they were allocated through a tariff-based competitive bidding route.

(The blocks given to Reliance Power are dealt with in a separate section, which TOI first reported on February 15 and March 5. CAG's estimate of the "undue benefit" to Reliance Power for these two projects is now placed at Rs 15,849 crore over a 25-year period.)

Spokespersons for the Tatas, Adanis, A V Birla Group and Essar declined to comment. Bhushan Power spokesperson did not respond to a text message. Repeated attempts to get a response from the Abhijeet Group's Delhi office also were in vain.

But Jindal Steel and Power Ltd promoter Naveen Jindal responded, saying: "It is all project specific. Often you find (state-run) companies unable to start work. I am proud to say that JSPL has started two of our blocks and is contributing towards creating wealth for the country. For all these 155 blocks, Coal India did not have any mining plans as it found them unattractive... CAG may have its view but whether it is JSPL or any other private company, they are all Indian entities and are creating wealth for the country."

Among the public sector entities that have benefited the most are central generation utility NTPC and trading firm MMTC, several West Bengal government corporations, and mines and mineral development corporations of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

Senior executives of several companies, on condition that neither they nor their company be identified, said many of these blocks are yet to be transferred. Some others said mining has not started in several mines in the absence of various clearances. However, a few agreed that there might have been some unforeseen gains as coal price has risen since the allocations. "If the draft report talks of windfall gains, it shows CAG's lack of sense of time or knowledge of market realities. It fails to see the price of everything-from fuel, equipment to wages and industrial services-has risen in this period," said a top executive with one of the companies in CAG's list of beneficiaries.

The coal ministry's justification, quoted in the report, is not dissimilar: "... coal produced from captive blocks was not available for commercial sale and out of 137 blocks, 62 coal blocks were allotted to power sector where tariff is regulated on the basis of input costs and the transfer price of coal is assessed on actual cost basis. In case of steel and cement sectors, though prices of end products are not regulated, a competitive market ensures the best benefit for consumers."

CAG counters by saying, "While appreciating the constraints and the viewpoint of the ministry, the fact remains that coal being a natural resource ought to have been allocated to private players on competitive bidding as it brings in more transparency and objectivity in the system. In fact, audit observations have also been corroborated by the recent SC (Supreme Court) judgment on 2G spectrum which, inter alia, held that the State is deemed to have a proprietary interest in natural resources and must act as a guardian and trustee in relation to the same."

The draft report adds: "They (private companies) can augment their resources but the object should be to serve the public cause and to do the public good by resorting to fair and reasonable methods. Every action/decision of the State or its agencies/instrumentalities to give largesse/confer benefits must be sound, transparent, discernible and well defined policy. Thus, the State legally owns the natural resources on behalf of citizens and the natural resources cannot be allocated to private hands without ensuring that the benefit of low cost of the natural resources would be passed on to the citizens."

It uses the ministry's view, conveyed to the government auditor in June 2004, to bolster CAG's contention by noting that the ministry itself had said, "...there was a substantial difference between the price of coal supplied by CIL (Coal India Ltd) and the cost of coal produced through coal blocks allocated for captive mining and as such, there was windfall gains to the allocates, part of which the government wanted to tap through competitive bidding. The windfall gains to the allocatees were expected to be substantial".

The report rejects the ministry's argument that allocations to the power sector need to be viewed in light of the fact that Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) regulates the power tariffs. The report says such regulations do not apply to merchant power plants set up by independent power producers. "Further, CERC tariff regulations 2009-14, allow normative operation and maintenance expenses for coal- and lignite-fired generating stations as against the actual cost of production of coal. In fact, for steel and cement sectors, the competitive market forces cannot ensure that the allocatee would pass on the benefit of low cost of natural resources to citizens."

The section in the report titled 'Competitive Bidding For Coal Blocks Yet To Commence' points out how "...the policy initiative to introduce competitive bidding with the objective to bring in transparency and objectivity in the allocation process of coal blocks commenced from 28 June 2004. However, the process got delayed at different stages and the same was yet to materialize even after a lapse of seven years".

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... 360183.cms

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 22 Mar 2012 15:40

^^ CAG disowns the leak. Says the ToIlet reports are exceedingly misleading

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 26 Mar 2012 19:31

kanimohzi has filed a case in a Delhi court asking to be discharged from the 2G case.

This is the true reason for putting pressure on the MMS government.
The lankan vote issue was a test run onlee.

Kanimozhi challenges framing of charges in 2G case

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi on Friday moved the Delhi High Court, challenging the framing of charges against her in the 2G spectrum allocation case. Her petition, seeking quashing of the allegations and her discharge in the case, is likely to come up for hearing next week.

She along with 16 others is facing trial in the case in a CBI special court here. Several other accused, including three top executives of Reliance Telecom, have also approached the court for quashing of charges against them. Ms. Kanimozhi said the impugned order was based on a completely wrong and misplaced understanding of the law of conspiracy.

“There is not even an allegation that a single penny of the alleged bribe money has gone towards the personal account of the petitioner or has in any manner benefited her on a personal level.”

As per the investigating agency, the alleged bribe money was paid to Kalaignar TV between December 2008 and August 2009.

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 28 Mar 2012 05:26

'Coalgate': CAG takes on coal minister, says we don't make mistakes

Pradeep Thakur, TNN | Mar 28, 2012, 01.00AM IST

Vinod Rai has trashed the suggestion that CAG's estimate of undue gains to companies caused by govt's failure to auction coal blocks was "fallacious" or "erroneous".

NEW DELHI: Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai on Tuesday trashed the suggestion that the federal auditor's estimate of undue gains to companies caused by the government's failure to auction coal blocks was "fallacious" or "erroneous".

"We are incapable of making fundamental errors as being discussed in media. Our report will make clear all doubts on fallacies (that are) being talked about," Rai said at a seminar on 'Public Accountability and the Role of CAG', organized here by the Institute of Public Auditors of India.

Rai's remarks came a day after coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal was reported to have dismissed CAG's estimate of Rs 10.7 lakh crore in gains for companies that were given coal blocks as "notional and imaginary." Earlier, on Saturday, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had made light of CAG's estimates, saying that the auditor changes 90% of its draft reports after factoring in the government's explanations.

Rai's strong defence of CAG would indicate that its final report may not be very different from its draft report. Rai scoffed at the idea of government auditors arriving at figures casually, only to junk them later. "We are acclaimed internationally for our balanced reporting. Our officers are well trained and are so fundamentally strong that they don't do any basic errors. All our audit processes go down three-four layers, leaving no scope for mistakes."

His remarks confirm the estimate in knowledgeable circles that the draft report - reported first by TOI on March 22 - was prepared on the basis of detailed calculations and after detailed discussions with the coal ministry and, hence, was unlikely to be drastically altered.

On Tuesday, Reuters quoted CAG officials to say the final report would be close to the draft report.

Rai seemed angry over suggestions that CAG's figures were products of lazy arithmetic. "They ( CAG auditors) are the best in the world. Both developing and developed countries send their auditors to train with us at our academies," he said. "Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

"Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

He added that the UN had chosen India over the UK to audit its accounts and policies, even though the British auditors were costing less. Rai denied the charge that CAG had reduced its mandate to a faultfinding agency, while insisting that the auditor cannot but draw attention to shortcomings in the implementation of policies.

"We are not in the business of finding faults. But when we detect some loopholes during the process of audit, we advise the executive to plug those loopholes," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 433309.cms

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 28 Mar 2012 09:25

Rai's strong defence of CAG would indicate that its final report may not be very different from its draft report. Rai scoffed at the idea of government auditors arriving at figures casually, only to junk them later. "We are acclaimed internationally for our balanced reporting. Our officers are well trained and are so fundamentally strong that they don't do any basic errors. All our audit processes go down three-four layers, leaving no scope for mistakes."

Rai seemed angry over suggestions that CAG's figures were products of lazy arithmetic. "They ( CAG auditors) are the best in the world. Both developing and developed countries send their auditors to train with us at our academies," he said. "Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

"Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

He added that the UN had chosen India over the UK to audit its accounts and policies, even though the British auditors were costing less. Rai denied the charge that CAG had reduced its mandate to a faultfinding agency, while insisting that the auditor cannot but draw attention to shortcomings in the implementation of policies.

"We are not in the business of finding faults. But when we detect some loopholes during the process of audit, we advise the executive to plug those loopholes," he said.

I believe the above as told to me by my brother's FIL who also worked in the similar area of auditing.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 28 Mar 2012 10:57

Krishna, I have worked in audit/ Audit related functions for more than a decade, and given the way PSU Bank audits have been and the way some of the past Audit reports of CAG have been published, CAG is not as good as Mr. Rai claims. In some reports they have been Bean Counters.

But still the non transparency and the wholesale loot of India's resources causing burgeoning Deficits which have increased interest rates and killed the economy coupled with IT, CBEC sent out like bloodhounds on Industry needs to be investigated.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 28 Mar 2012 12:45

Aditya_V wrote:Krishna, I have worked in audit/ Audit related functions for more than a decade, and given the way PSU Bank audits have been and the way some of the past Audit reports of CAG have been published, CAG is not as good as Mr. Rai claims. In some reports they have been Bean Counters.

But still the non transparency and the wholesale loot of India's resources causing burgeoning Deficits which have increased interest rates and killed the economy coupled with IT, CBEC sent out like bloodhounds on Industry needs to be investigated.

It is exactly the job of CAG to be such a bean counter. It is its job to go into these policy decisions & try to estimate the cost/loss of such decisions. Then the govt should be able to say we had taken such a policy because of XYZ factors & we believe that the XYZ factors override the cost/loss.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 30 Mar 2012 07:19

yet paid media croaks only about "yedi".

Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's land doles cost Andhra Rs 1 lakh crore: CAG

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 462676.cms

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 30 Mar 2012 08:42

Stunning achievements of congress govts across the country including the centre.
Not only that congress have few good honest men who will put any saint to death in their holiness for honesty.
They are guarding the looters.

corruption is in 1000-100000s of crores.
A new level has been breached effortlessly.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 31 Mar 2012 16:15

Is Telenor playing Kapil Sibal’s game by upping ante?

http://www.firstpost.com/business/2g-mo ... 56753.html

New games are afoot in the 2G spectrum scam, where the government was caught with its pants down when the Supreme Court unexpectedly cancelled 122 licences issued by A Raja on 2 February.

With the court establishing mala fide intent and holding that auctions are the best way to sell scarce resources like spectrum, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal’s zero-loss theory on the 2G scam has been effectively debunked and his ministry is looking for a face-saver.

What Sibal and UPA need is a lever to get the Supreme Court to completely re-examine its verdict, and providentially this seems to be at hand.While many of the companies whose licences were cancelled have moved the court for a review, the government now has something stronger to make its case.

Telenor, the Norwegian partner in Uninor, which lost 22 licences, has sent the government a notice threatening international arbitration under the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore. It also wants the matter of its cancelled licences sorted out in six months. (The company that invested in Uninor is incorporated in Singapore.)

But this is where the news gets fishy. The Times of India reported that Telenor was seeking damages of nearly $14 billion (Rs 70,000-and-odd crore) when the company has invested all of Rs 15,000 crore so far.

Telenor spokesperson Glenn Mandelid emailed a response to Firstpost saying no compensation amount had been conveyed as yet. “We can confirm that we have informed the government of India of our intent to invoke the provisions of the CECA between India and Singapore. While we haven’t stated any amount, we do intend to seek compensation for all investment, guarantees and damages. We are hopeful that it remains the government’s intent to protect and encourage bonafide foreign investment in the country.”

Then where did the $14 billion figure come from? Did the reporter goof up or was it planted to give everyone, including the courts, the shivers about the money involved?

An equally significant statement came from Sistema, which had the Russian envoy batting for this company which lost 21 licences.

BusinessLine quoted Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin as saying that it was India’s responsibility to safeguard its investment. In an aggressive statement, he said: “We will not allow $3.1 billion of our people’s money to be just thrown out.”Kadakin should know that his investment was not just “thrown out” arbitrarily, but went through a due process of law and it was the highest court in the land that cancelled his company’s licences.

One may or may not agree with the court’s verdict, but any company working in India cannot expect to get away with breaking the law as interpreted by the Supreme Court.

One wonders how Telenor and Sistema can threaten arbitration when both have anyway moved review petitions in the Supreme Court. Are these moves part of a concerted effort to grab the attention of the court or did someone in government encourage them to add to the decibel levels on the issue and confuse the picture? The right time to bring up the arbitration issue is after the review petition is disposed of, not now.

Is someone trying to send a message to the court to back off?

Both Telenor and Sistema can claim to be pure as the driven snow and unaware of the skulduggery involved in the allocation of 2G licences, but are we to assume that they committed billions of dollars without checking the antecedents of their partners or the telecom ministry’s flawed processes?

In fact, Telenor is trying hard to dump its partner Unitech and start again with a new partner. “We are not even thinking about what our partner (Unitech) did. This is now in the court. In the meantime, we want to have a fresh start. And the fresh start is with a new company and with a new partner,” Uninor Managing Director Sigve Brekke told news agencies earlier.

For its part, the government seems keen to muddy the waters to reduce the political embarrassment caused by the licence cancellation.

Kapil Sibal and the law ministry have been trying to lob a presidential reference in the Supreme Court asking whether the 2 February order also extends to licences issued between 2001-07.This is nothing but a mischievous effort to bring in a complication that isn’t there. After being convicted for murder, its like the convict asking the court to decide whether other murders too are covered by the verdict.

One might as well ask if every licence issued since 1991 was fine. The intention seems to be to confuse and confound the Supreme Court – and then hope it will change its mind as the previous judgment is creating problems for foreign investment.

Sibal’s efforts were shown up by none other than Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who wrote to the Prime Minister: “I am not convinced these concerns are valid. I also feel raising these issues will create unnecessary problems.” He added: “There is nothing to be gained by making a Presidential reference on the lines of the draft….Challenges regarding past licences can be met in court with a clear indication of our position on the need for stability in policy. Decisions on pricing should be taken by a Group of Ministers/Cabinet, if necessary.”

More important, the Telenor-Sistema threats of arbitration raise questions about whether CECA or other investment protection clauses can be brought to contest a judgment of the highest court of the land.

If you buy stolen property, you may not have committed a crime. But there is no question it has to be returned to the person whose property it was in the first place. You have to sue the person who sold you the property. This means either their partners, or the government, or both.

But the time for that is after the review petition is dealt with.

ShyamSP · Post by **ShyamSP** » 31 Mar 2012 22:43

Sushupti wrote:yet paid media croaks only about "yedi".
Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's land doles cost Andhra Rs 1 lakh crore: CAG

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 462676.cms

Finally CBI filed case on Jagan as A1 criminal in this case. Some other accused (A2 - A10) have been already arrested for some months but A1 is still free.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/87470903/Jagan

I wonder when the real criminal A0 and A0 coterie in Delhi get nabbed by CBI. I have less hope on A1 spilling beans on A0 cut from largest robbing in AP/India history as rumors is that they cut a deal already.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 12 Apr 2012 21:15

Centre files Presidential reference in Supreme Court on 2G order

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... epage=true

The government on Thursday moved the Supreme Court with a Presidential reference for its opinion on issues arising out of its 2G spectrum judgement including whether auctioning of natural resources across all sectors is mandatory under all circumstances.

It placed before the Supreme Court the reference signed by President Pratibha Patil in which around eight questions have been raised, including whether there could be judicial interference in the policy matters, vis-à-vis allocation of natural resources.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had on April 10, 2012 cleared the Telecom Ministry’s proposal to seek Supreme Court’s opinion on various issues arising out of the February 2, 2012 verdict by which allocation of 122 2G licences on first-come-first-served policy was cancelled.

The court had also observed that auction was best suited route for allocating natural resources like telecom spectrum because the policy of first-come-first-serve was flawed.

In the reference, the Centre has sought the Supreme Court’s view on the verdict which is likely to have implication on foreign direct investment, if a policy decision of the government is cancelled by judicial order.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 12 Apr 2012 21:42

They don't want to return the money. All are in numbered Swiss account and these companies would withdraw it if licenses are cancelled.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 13 Apr 2012 18:28

http://www.firstpost.com/business/lies- ... 74882.html

MISREPRESENTATIONS:

* The spectrum for cellular and basic service licenses allocated between 1994 and 1997 (referred to as the pre-2001 licenses) was allocated on a first come first served (FCFS) basis without any upfront charges for spectrum.

PTIFact: The question of allocating spectrum on FCFS does not arise, as only two licenses for mobile services and one for basic services were awarded. The second highest bidder had to match the highest bidder, and spectrum was allocated on that basis. Also, apart from the amounts being bid upfront, they were nothing but a payment for 4.4 mhz spectrum that came guaranteed with the mobile license. Without spectrum, the licenses were useless.
* While describing 17 mobile licenses in 2001, the Reference says these licenses required licensees to pay a one-time, non-refundable license fee.

Fact: In the pre-2001 period, there was no one-time entry fee. The upfront bid amount was payable across the life of the license, while in 2001, the government received a one-time upfront entry fee of Rs 1,633 crore for 17 mobile licenses with linked 2G spectrum.

Should a reference sent in by the highest office (the President) to the highest court (the Supreme Court) be replete with wrong facts, misrepresentations and even outright lies?

That, unfortunately, is what is being alleged in a penetrating article by Shalini Singh, published by The Hindu on Thursday, on the government’s presidential reference regarding issues thrown up by the Supreme Court in its 2 February judgment on the 2G scam. The judgment cancelled all 122 licences issued by former telecom Minister A Raja and held spectrum as a resource that ought to be auctioned.

While the government is separately challenging the Supreme Court’s intrusion into policy-making areas (the hearing is due Friday), the presidential reference, piloted by Communications Minister Kapil Sibal, cleared by the Cabinet and signed by President Pratibha Patil, asks, among other things whether auction is the best method to handle scarce resources like spectrum. This, despite the same question coming up in the review petition already filed in the SC.

LIES/HIDING FACTS:

* The 22 licences granted for limited mobility in 2001 were on a FCFS basis.

Fact: The Reference deliberately hides the fact that unlike in the case of ex-telecom minister A Raja, who processed letters of intent by manipulating the FCFS criteria, the 2001 limited mobility licences received spectrum based on a detailed notification dated 23 March, 2001, subject to investments in infrastructure and meeting rollout obligations. The first to meet the rollout obligations would be the first to get spectrum.

* Paragraphs 12 and 16 of the Reference claim that mobile licences till 2001 were granted 2G spectrum “with no upfront payment for spectrum”.

Fact: It is a matter of record that all 2001 licences — 17 mobile and 22 basic — made an upfront payment for spectrum. Furthermore, the government’s bid to persuade the Court that investors were paying for the licence (a mere paper permit) and not spectrum is a non-starter considering the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on May 11, 2010, valued the Unified Access Services (UAS) licence, inclusive of national and international long distance, as well as ISP services minus spectrum, at merely Rs 20 crore.

* No separate fee was payable for allocation of spectrum for dual technology licences, which received precious 4.4 MHz of Global system for mobile communication (GSM) spectrum in 2008, on their existing UAS licences of 2003 vintage.

Fact: If these companies, primarily Reliance and the Tatas, already held UAS licences in 2003 and they didn’t pay for GSM spectrum in 2008, then what exactly did they pay for? Why would these companies fork out Rs 1,658 crore each if they had already paid for a licence and the GSM spectrum came free?

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 25 Apr 2012 06:39

‘Can you imagine... no one from India met the real investigators of gun deal?’

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 25 Apr 2012 07:03

Why dont you post the details of the Bofors scam?