Former Telecom Minister A Raja, the main accused in 2G spectrum scam, has revived charges that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the loop over policy decisions in the 2G scam. Not allowed by JPC chief Chacko to attend the committee meeting, Raja has made a written submission in which he has also accused Attorney General GE Vahanvati of telling a “series of untruths” against him.
Raja also said he had “consulted and kept informed” then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the modalities of controversial telecom licences and spectrum allocation. During 2007, Mukherjee was heading a GoM handling the vacation of spectrum from Defence.
Raja who was responding to JPC's questionnaire demanded the panel to call him in person in the “interest of natural justice.” In his 17-page long reply, Raja reiterated his claims that every actions of him was done in consultation with Prime Minister.
“This note is confined to the questions posed to me. It does not deal with the other issues being considered by JPC. However, the truth of the matter can only understood when all issues are considered together. That is why I would once again reiterate I should be given an opportunity to depose before the JPC. The fact that I am deferring to the JPC by sending the enclosed note should not be taken to mean that I am in any manner diluting my stand that I should be allowed to depose before the JPC on all issues,” said Raja.
“It was agreed in these discussions that the Minister of Communication and IT would have discussions with Sh Pranab Mukherjee, the then External Affairs Minister, since he was heading the Group of Ministers on vacation of spectrum,” he said in his March 18 note to JPC.
He said discussions were held between him and Mukherjee in December 2007 on subscriber base criteria for allotment of additional spectrum, the issues of dual technology and new licences.
He said for the purpose of discussions with Mukherjee, Vahanvati, who was the then Solicitor General, had prepared a note dealing with subscriber base criteria for allotment of additional spectrum, the issue of dual technology, the manner in which spectrum will be allocated and the issue of new telecom licences. Raja claimed that his letter to Prime Minister about this meeting mad evident that he kept informed Manmohan Singh about all issues in the telecom sector.
“It is evident that the letter of December 26, 2007 sent by the Minister of Communication and IT to the PM is nothing but an encapsulation of the note given by the Solicitor General and the subsequent discussions between the SG, External Affairs Minister and Minister of Communication and IT,” he said.
In his reply to JPC, Raja refuted Vahanvati claim made before the JPC and in the 2G Court that he (Raja) was telling blatant lie about Mukherjee being aware about the decision to allot spectrum. Vahanvati had said he was also part of the said meeting with Mukherjee which lasted only 15 minutes, and no discussion on allocation of spectrum took place in the meeting.
Slamming Vahanvati for alleging that the former Telecom Minister tinkered with his legal opinion, Raja said this was an “absurd” argument to propagate lies and half truths.
“To make such a major claim of forgery/fabrication based on this fact is just without any understanding of law or practice,” he said.
“After I had recorded my approval to the note put by the DoT officials and directed them to take the opinion of the Solicitor General, my attention was drawn to the fact that the last paragraph of the draft Press release was not in conformity with what had been approved on the file and previously communicated to the PM.
“It would in fact create a totally new method of grant of licences. I, therefore, deleted the last pararaph...And also recorded in the file that the Press release was being approved as amended...I wish to emphasise that my note was written prior to the file being sent to the Solicitor General,” said Raja, citing that Vahanvati on several courts argued on the merits of his policy, till the CBI started action.