2G case: Telecom official got job post-retirement

A CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the grant of additional spectrum in January 2002 to three private telecom firms has revealed that a senior telecom official ‘deliberately’ did not take prior approval of the telecom commission before clearing the proposals sent by the companies. Abhishek Sharan reports.

A CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the grant of additional spectrum (beyond 6.2 MHz and up to 10 MHz) in January 2002 to three private telecom firms has revealed that a senior telecom official ‘deliberately’ did not take prior approval of the telecom commission before clearing the proposals sent by the companies.

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According to the source, around six months after the grant of the additional spectrum, the accused official was given a post-retirement job, whose profile was equivalent to that of a senior government secretary.

"The post-retirement job was given to the accused official due to special efforts of the then telecom minister," said the source.

The three accused private firms were beneficiaries of a decision taken on January 31, 2002, by then telecom minister Pramod Mahajan to award additional spectrum by charging additional 1% of adjusted gross revenue only.

"As per rules, the accused telecom official should have requested for approval of the telecom commission before the then minister cleared the proposal related to the grant of additional spectrum. Though advised by others in the department, the accused official had deliberately ignored the suggestion," said a CBI source.