Telecom policy may be delayed by a year
TNN | Nov 25, 2011, 07.11PM IST
NEW DELHI: The proposed National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011 is likely to become NTP 2012. This makes NTP 2011 the latest casualty of the stress, scepticism and nervousness being felt by the industry in the shadow of the 2G spectrum scam.
The telecom department, responding to requests from a wide range of stakeholders – primarily industry associations led by COAI, AUSPI, ACTO and ISPAI including CII, Ficci and Assocham – has agreed to extend the consultation for another month until December 8, 2011.
The industry revealed its nervousness on three counts: New concepts which were not discussed in the run up to the draft NTP 2011, potential adverse revenue impact from concepts like spectrum refarming and others and a competitive threat unless issues of convergence and license unification are defined in a transparent manner through public consultation.
Spectrum issues, including refarming, are… Continue reading
2G case: Shahid Balwa, Chandolia seeks bail
25 Nov, 2011, 08.23PM IST, PTI
The Economic Times
NEW DELHI: Buyoed by grant of bail to five corporate executives by the Supreme Court in 2G spectrum case, Swan Telecom Promoter Shahid Balwa and ex-Telecom Minister A Raja’s former Private Secretary R K Chandolia have moved bail pleas before a Delhi court on the ground of parity.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini would hear the arguments on the seperate bail pleas of both the accused on November 27.
Both the accused have moved the application on the ground that after framing of charges, the trial in the case is expected to take considerable time and they should be granted bail as they are similarly placed with the co-accused who were released on bail by the apex court, their counsel Vijay Aggarwal said.
“We have moved bail pleas for R K Chandolia and Shahid Balwa. The Supreme Court has… Continue reading
NCP’s protest near 2G court alerts security staff
Published: Friday, Nov 25, 2011, 21:31 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI – DNA
The attempt made by NCP workers in Patiala House Court complex to beat up the man who had slapped Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar alerted the security which swung into action to protect the high-profile accused in 2G spectrum scam and the Special judge trying the case.
No sooner the policemen posted near the courtroom of special judge OP Saini came to know that Pawar’s supporters have tried to assault his attacker Harvinder Singh near the lock-up, they took up position at the entry and asked the court staff to bolt the two doors leading to the courtroom.
Around 25 NCP supporters shouted slogans and tried to assault Singh outside the courtroom of Metropolitan Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur, which is adjecent to the court hearing the 2G case.
“To assault a respectable leader like Sharad Pawar… Continue reading
2G: Judge objects to use of mobiles, says they will be confiscated
25 Nov, 2011, 07.52PM IST, PTI
The Economic Times
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court hearing the 2G spectrum case on Friday objected to use of mobile phones and other gadgets by the family members of the accused inside the courtroom and warned the phones would be “confiscated” if they resort to such practice.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini said such practices are “highly objectionable” as he spotted that the wife of one of the accused was clicking photographs inside the courtroom.
The judge, who had last Wednesday directed the family members of the accused to leave the courtroom for creating a “ruckus” during the proceedings, has warned them not to use their mobile phones, laptops, camera and othet gadgets inside the courtroom.
“The family members, relatives, friends/attendants etc, of accused persons are advised not to bring and use their mobile phones, laptops, tablets, camera etc inside the courtroom… Continue reading
2G case:HC says SC bail verdict ‘silent’ on serious charge
New Delhi, Nov 25, (PTI) : Deccan Herald
Hearing in the bail plea of DMK MP Kanimozhi and five others in the 2G case will continue on Monday in the Delhi High Court which today said the Supreme Court judgement granting bail to five corporate executives was ”silent” on a charge that attracts maximum punishment of life term in the case.
The remarks relating to the offence of criminal breach of trust under section 409 of IPC slapped against all the 17 accused in the case was made by Justice V K Shali at the fag end of the day-long hearing, which was advanced from Dec 1.
“The Supreme Court judgement does not mention Section 409 (criminal breach of trust which provides for life term as maximum punishment) of the IPC. I am not saying that the apex court was ignorant of the fact (409) but it is silent… Continue reading
The sums don’t add up
Edspace | R. Sukumar
It has cost me followers on Twitter, forced the government’s auditor to take the extreme step of sending an official (he misrepresented himself as an Election Commission official) to a Mint reporter’s residence, and attracted criticism about Mint being the government’s lapdog. So, why have we been writing about irregularities in the way the Comptroller and Auditor General of India conducted its audit of the so-called 2G scam?
After all, public perception is that the government’s auditor has played a key role in ensuring that “crooks” of all hues go behind bars.
Mint is as convinced about the importance of the Comptroller and Auditor General as it is that several things were wrong with the way spectrum was allocated to telcos in 2008. However, it is equally convinced that the auditor’s role is to audit government spends and the implementation of government policies. Its role… Continue reading
Nikhil Kanekal and PTI
2G Scam | Kanimozhi bail hearing to continue on Monday
New Delhi: Bail hearings of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi and five others in the 2G case will continue in the Delhi high court on Monday after arguments couldn’t conclude on Friday.
Kanimozhi and the other accused had moved the high court earlier this week after the Supreme Court granted bail to five corporate executives who have also been named in the case.
The high court took up the bail petitions of Kanimozhi and others for an early hearing because of the apex court ruling on Wednesday.
The Delhi high court on Friday raised some unexpected questions, and said the SC ruling, which granted bail to the five company executives in the spectrum case, was “silent” on a charge against all the accused which 2G attracts the maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
“The Supreme Court judgement does not mention… Continue reading
‘Now I have been vindicated. I can hold my head high’
Q&A – Vir Sanghvi, Editorial Adviser, Hindustan Times
‘Now I have been vindicated. I can hold my head high’
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main51.asp?filename=Ne031211Vir_Sanghvi.asp
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 48, Dated 03 Dec 2011
LAST NOVEMBER the infamous Niira Radia tapes shook the media. Several reputations were scorched as the tapes seemed to blow the lid off an insidious collusion between corporates, political parties and the media. One of the journalists singed by the tapes was Hindustan Times editorial adviser Vir Sanghvi, who appeared to be tailoring his prestigious column Counterpoint to suit corporate lobbyists.
Sanghvi had claimed then that the tapes were doctored. Now he says he has proof. Recently, in an article in Outlook — the magazine that had first published the stories — he detailed how three international forensic labs had ruled that the tapes were doctored and his voice tampered with. Two of them… Continue reading
2G case: Prosecution witness retracts statement to CBI
PTI | 08:11 PM,Nov 24,2011
IBN
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) A banker, who is a prosecution witness in the 2G case, today retracted before a Delhi court his statement to CBI that some of the authorised signatories of Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) and Reliance Communication Ltd (RCL) were common, saying it was a “mistake”. “It is correct that none of the authorised signatories shown in my statement for STPL are common to RCL. I had stated to CBI that some of the authorised signatories are common to both companies, but that was a mistake,” Uday Shahasrabuddhe, Mumbai-based Assistant Vice President of HDFC Bank, said while testifying before Special Judge O P Saini. During his cross examination, he said that his statement to CBI that STPL was a group company of RCL was based on declaration and common address on their letter heads as well as common authorised… Continue reading
CBI gets AG’s opinion on spectrum allocation to Essar-Loop
PTI | 08:11 PM,Nov 24,2011
IBN
New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) CBI has received an opinion of Attorney General G E Vahanvati on the Essar-Loop controversy of cross-holding of shares during the allocation of 2G telecom spectrum and the agency is likely to take a decision soon on whether to file a chargesheet or not. Highly-placed CBI sources said the file had been received and the decision would be taken soon. The agency has claimed Essar had more than 10 per cent of cross-holdings in Loop Telecom, which was against norms. CBI’s charge is, however, denied by both Essar and Loop. The Attorney General (AG) had endorsed the stand of CBI to prosecute some officials for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy for securing 2G spectrum and also suppressing information. CBI was officially tight-lipped about the content of the opinion of the AG and said a final decision in… Continue reading
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