Cong alleges spectrum scam, demands probe

New Delhi, January 14

The Congress today cited the CAG report on irregularities in microwave spectrum allocation to demand a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the same.

Alleging a scam of Rs 69, 381 crore, the Opposition party pointed to a recent CAG report to say that the Modi-led BJP government had given microwave spectrum to “close friends” on a first come first serve basis in violation of the Supreme Court judgment that mandates an auction for any allocation of natural resources. “This is a huge scam which must be probed under the watch of the Supreme Court,” Congress spokesman Pawan Khera said.

He referred to the 2012 SC judgment on Spectrum allocation, which says, “While transferring or alienating natural resources, the State is duty-bound to adopt the method of auction by giving wide publicity so that all eligible persons can participate in the process.” The Congress said the CAG had made a “scathing observation” that the Modi government had flouted the auction policy laid down by the apex court. “This was done to favour a few persons,” Khera claimed. — TNS