Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who is the chief petitioner in the 2G scam, on Saturday criticized Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal for calling the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on 2G spectrum allocation scam ?utterly erroneous?.
“Sibal’s ill-informed criticism of CAG report, perhaps on the direction from beneficiaries of the corrupt 2G deal, is tantamount to influence the court of investigation carried out by the CBI,” Swamy said in a statement here.
On Friday, Sibal rubbished the figures on 2G allocation as presented in CAG report.
?The CAG figure (on 2G allocation scam) is utterly erroneous. We are extremely pained at methodology adopted by CAG for arriving at 2G figures that have no basis. We respect CAG but the figures have no basis whatsoever,? Sibal told reporters here.
?The CAG report was given to the government on Dec 10, and as far as I remember, we tabled it at the Parliament on Dec 16. Since then, there has been a wrong perception that our government incurred a loss of 1.76 lakh crores (in 2G scam),? said Sibal.
The Indian Parliament was deadlocked in the winter session last year over the demand for a JPC into the 2G spectrum scam while the ruling Congress said the probe by the PAC (Public Accounts Commitee) of Parliament headed by an Opposition leader (Murli Manohar Joshi) was enough besides the investigations by agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CAG in a report said Raja’s policies cost the government close to 1.76 lakh crores. The report faulted former Telecom Minister A Raja for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2G spectrum.
Meanwhile, the same day (Friday), a CBI designated court here held as maintainable the complaint filed by Swamy seeking prosecution of A Raja, the main accused in the scam.