2G Scam: PAC to quiz Tata, Ambani, Radia
Industrialists Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani are expected to be quizzed by the Indian Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over the 2G telecoms spectrum scam, said statements from their companies on Monday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)?s Murli Manohar Joshi-led committee which is conducting a parallel probe into the scandal that has rattled the country over the past months has also summoned corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.
The leaked taped conversations of the high-profile lobbyist with Tata and other influential people, including the jailed ex-telecoms minister A Raja who is accused of masterminding the swindle, had dragged her into the controversy.
The appearance of Tata, and Ambani, both of who control top telecoms carriers namely Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications, signal the widening of the probe into the 2008 spectrum scandal that could have cost the government Rs 1.76 lakh core, media reports said.
A statement from Tata Sons said, “Mr. RN Tata has expressed his willingness to appear before the PAC on April 4th in connection with the recent developments in the Telecom Sector including allocation of 2G & 3G spectrum.”
His publicist Radia and her firm Vaishnavi Corporate Communications too issued a similar statement and said they would continue to cooperate with the investigations and will be present before the PAC to answer queries and present any clarifications.
