The Enforcement Directorate has reportedly issued summons to seven private telecom companies in connection with its probe into the alleged 2G spectrum scam.
Sources said summons have been issued to those private companies which were in the race for 2G allotment. All seven companies have been asked to submit their financial records to the ED, sources said. However, it could not be confirmed as to which particular telecom firms have been issued the summons.
The ED has already registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against unknown officials of DoT and unknown private companies in connection with the award of new telecom licences in 2008. The CBI has also registered a case saying there was large-scale corruption in the allocation of 2G radio spectrum licences last year.
According to ED sources, some senior DoT officers allegedly granted unified access services licences to a few selected companies at nominal rates by rejecting the applications of the others without any valid reasons, thereby causing wrongful loss to the government and corresponding wrongful gain to private persons or companies. The licences were awarded to certain companies by putting a cap on the number of applicants against the recommendations of the TRAI, sources added.
The CBI, on the basis of analysis of documents recovered during searches last year, will soon question officials of the private companies located in Goregoan, Malad, Chennai and Delhi. “The CBI will also question some retired DoT officials in connection with its probe into 2G allotment. The agency on Monday questioned former TRAI chairman Pradeep Baijal in this regard,” sources said. The agency is likely to question former telecom minister A. Raja as well, sources added.
The income-tax department is also planning to question representatives of certain private companies. I-T officials are in touch with CBI and ED officials.