2G: Behura to depose before JPC today

Former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura will today depose before the JPC, becoming the first 2G case accused to appear before the panel. Behura was the telecom secretary between January 1, 2008, and September 30, 2009.

Former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura will on Tuesday depose before the JPC, becoming the first 2G case accused to appear before the panel.

File-photo-of-former-telecom-secretary-Siddhartha-Behura

The JPC had decided to summon Behura as a witness before it on April 11 and 18 but he had written to the panel seeking more time to prepare himself before appearing as a witness.

Behura was then lodged in Tihar jail and a local court had allowed him to appear before the committee.

He was given bail by the Supreme Court in May.

Behura was the telecom secretary between January 1, 2008, and September 30, 2009. He had appeared before the Public Accounts Committee examining the CAG report on 2G on December 7, 2010.

The JPC had decided to summon Behura and former telecom minister A Raja on March 21. It is yet to decide on Raja's appearance to give oral evidence.

Behura was arrested on February 2 last year by CBI along with Raja and his personal secretary RK Chandolia on charges of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct.

Most of the former telecom secretaries and former chiefs of Trai have appeared before the panel as witnesses on the telecom policies followed from 1998 to 2009.