Post-Diwali spectrum fireworks to begin today

New Delhi : 

After the Diwali break, the 2G spectrum scam is set to haunt the Government again. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has summoned Finance Secretary RS Gujral and Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan on Monday to explain why they had not submitted to the JPC the Finance Ministry’s controversial note to the PMO which blamed P Chidambaram in the 2G scam.

The JPC issued notice to the Finance Ministry, after the controversial office memorandum was submitted to the Supreme Court by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy. This note prepared in March 2011 and seen by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee indicting P Chidambaram, during his tenure as Finance Minister was not part of the documents submitted to the JPC.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, which opens on Monday, is expected to deliver judgement during the week in Swamy’s case demanding investigation into the role of Chidambaram in the scam.

Another case filed by noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan, accusing the CBI of soft-pedaling the case against corporate bigwigs like Anil Ambani is also reserved for judgement.

The Supreme Court is also expected to deliver judgment on cancellation of the entire 2G licences issued during jailed former Telecom Minister A Raja’s tenure. This case is reserved for judgment from May by Justice GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting scheduled on Monday is also expected to be stormy. The former Director General, Audit of the CAG, RP Singh, will depose before the Committee, after the Congress MPs demanded his presence. According to certain media reports, Singh had suggested a less loss figures in the 2G spectrum scam earlier and he was overruled by CAG Vinod Rai. However, RP Singh is one of the signatory of the CAG’s final report which assessed the loss at 1.76 lakh crore.

On Monday, the Supreme Court will also hear the bail applications of corporate honchos jailed in the 2G scam and CBI is expected to oppose their applications. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the special court is expected to deliver judgment on the bail applications of DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others, which were not objected to by the CBI.

Source : Daily Pioneer