New Delhi:
As the government's decision to appoint PJ Thomas as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) sparks off a huge political row, NDTV has accessed a Department of Telecom (DoT) note which puts a question mark on whether the new CVC is in favour of probing the 2G scam.
In the note dated July 10, 2010, the Department of Telecom objects to the Comptroller and Auditor General or CAG's scrutiny of the 2G scam. PJ Thomas was the Telecom Secretary when this note was sent to the Law Ministry, seeking its opinion on the CAG's right to scrutinise the 2G spectrum allocation.
The Law Ministry replied to that note on August 13, 2010 saying the CAG or the CVC have no powers to challenge government policy.
In that note, the Law ministry clearly says the CVC can only probe corruption cases, not government policy.
PJ Thomas took oath as the Central Vigilance Commissioner on Tuesday. But BJP boycotted the ceremony. It alleged that the government wanted to appoint Thomas as the CVC head to "cover-up" the alleged scam in allocation of 2G spectrum in which accusations have been levelled against Telecom Minister A Raja.
(Read: BJP boycotts 'tainted' CVC, Sushma meets President)The BJP has taken its battle against the new CVC to President Pratibha Patil. Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj met the President on Tuesday evening and explained why BJP boycotted the ceremony, setting the stage for a confrontation with the UPA government.
The party has even written to the Prime Minister against it. Thomas was named in a farm oil duty case in Kerala some years back. Although he was exonerated, the BJP says the CVC should be entirely non-corrupt.
Sushma Swaraj, who was a part of the three-member Committee that selected Thomas for the CVC Chief's post, had registered her dissent over his appointment.
This was ignored by the Committee headed by the Prime Minister and also included the Home Minister.
The Prime Minister on Monday defended the appointment of Thomas, saying "We have done the right thing. We have chosen the best candidate out of the list of three."
Thomas succeeded Pratyush Sinha, a 1969 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, who demitted office on Monday after a four-year tenure as CVC. (With PTI inputs)
WHAT IS 2G SCAM?
The 2G scam is one of the biggest financial irregularities of all times in the country. It has caused a loss of Rs 69,000 crore to the National exchequer by giving away scarce spectrum to telecom operators at a fraction of the market price.
The Telecom Ministry under A Raja had come under fire for adopting a `first come, first serve' principle over auction for allocating the licences, as well as a licence fee based on 2001 prices.
The parties who had secured these licences went on to sell their shares at huge profits.
The government has actually got only one-sixth of what it would have got, had it gone through the auction route.