Govt for harshest punishment for wrong doing in telecom: Pilot

The government today said harshest punishment would be given to people, be it service provider or any official, found guilty of wrong doing in the telecom sector.

The government on Friday said harshest punishment would be given to people, be it service provider or any official, found guilty of wrong doing in the telecom sector.

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"The committee has already been set-up under the retired Supreme Court judge and has been given a limited time to come up with the findings of period from 2001 to 2009... but one thing that we have made very clear is that if any wrong doing is found or is brought out I think harshest punishment should be metted out to anybody whosoever it is and at whatever position," minister of state for communication & IT Sachin Pilot told reporters at the India Telecom 2010.

On Thursday, minister for communication & IT Kapil Sibal had set-up a one-man committee under a retired Supreme Court judge Shivraj V Patil that will look into the spectrum allocation procedures and policies during 2001-2009, a period that includes NDA regime.

While the committee is looking into the procedures and policies, the Department of Telecom (DoT) would go ahead and issue show cause notices to erring telecom firms who are alleged to have suppressed information to bag licences in 2008.

"Once we receive their replies we shall see what action have to be taken," he said.

The DoT will be sending show cause notices to 119 licencees for suppressing facts and also for missing roll-out obligations as per the terms and conditions of licence and after studying their response, a decision will be taken on whether these (licences) need to be cancelled or a penalty should be imposed.