CBI to file second FIR

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing alleged irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum licences, will lodge a second First Information Report in the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing alleged irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum licences, will lodge a second First Information Report (FIR) in the case.

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The agency's second FIR, said a CBI source, will be as per a recent Supreme Court direction on December 16 that asked it to expand the scope of its probe from 2001 to 2007. The CBI had earlier registered a case on October 21, 2009 against unknown officials of the Department of Telecommunications (Dot) and unknown private persons/companies and others in connection with the irregularities in the spectrum in 2008.

The SC order had directed the CBI to register a FIR, if it had not already done so, reporting the context of the alleged irregularities committed in the grant of licences from 2001 to 2006-2007. The directive had asked the agency to conduct thorough investigation with particular emphasis on the loss caused to the public exchequer and corresponding gain to the licensees/service providers and also on the issue of allowing use of dual/alternate technology by some service providers even before the decision was made public vide press release dated October 19, 2007.

A CBI spokesperson did not confirm whether the agency had grilled alleged hawala operator Mahesh Jain on Monday in connection with its probe.