NEW DELHI: A controversy has broken out after former Comptroller and Auditor General official R P Singh questioned CAG's estimates of presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh cror mentioned in the 2G spectrum audit report.
Former director general CAG's post and telecommunications, Singh, said that he was made to sign the 2G spectrum audit report by his seniors in CAG, despite disagreeing with it. Singh retired in September 2011.
The government, today, asked BJP leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief Murli Manohar Joshi as well as the CAG to clarify their stance on the controversy.
"The issues raised by R P Singh, former DG, P&T, in CAG are very germane. What is extremely important is that in May 2010 when the draft report was prepared the loss was quantified at Rs 2,645 crore but in November 2010 when the report was presented in Parliament this loss jumped to Rs 1.76 lakh crore. How did this leap of faith take place?" information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari told reporters.
"Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi should clarify his stance on the controversy over the 2G spectrum losses mentioned in the draft report of the CAG," Manish Tewari said.
Giving twist to the allocation controversy, R P Singh had questioned the CAG's estimates of presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore. "After completing the audit of Ministry of Telecom, which was under my direct charge, I prepared a draft audit report covering each and every aspect ... My report did not contain any loss figure," he had said yesterday.
Tewari asked who was responsible for increasing the presumptive loss figures and said this issue should be addressed by the CAG.
"The second question is about propriety. The PAC is supposed to independently exercise oversight over the reports of CAG. If what R P Singh has said is true about the CAG officials actually taking assistance of the PAC in the preparation of its report, does this not amount to a conflict of interest?" Tewari said.
He sought to know if this is a convention or a tradition which has been followed earlier and whether this was done officially or unofficially.
"These are questions that the PAC chairperson, Murli Manohar Joshi, for whom I have the utmost respect, needs to answer," the minister said.
BJP, however, denied these allegations and maintained that it has been proved that government suffered losses in the 2G spectrum allocation and that there was corruption in the deals.
BJP MP and party secretary Balbir Punj, said, "R P Singh's charges are meaningless. Two facts have been established in the 2G spectrum case. One that there was a huge loss to the government and secondly there was corruption in the allocations. Had there been no loss the licenses would not have been cancelled and A Raja would not have gone to jail."
NCP leader D P Tripathi maintained that constitutional bodies like the CAG should not be brought into a controversy. "If what R P Singh has said is true then the losses pointed out by CAG are too high."
Allegations by former auditor to malign CAG, PAC: Joshi
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi dismissed allegations by former auditor R P Singh that he tried to influence the outcome of the 2G report as an attempt to malign the institutions of CAG and PAC.
"R P Singh's allegations on 2G report are an attempt to malign Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and PAC by vested interests including the government," Joshi told reporters here.
Joshi said Singh had never raised the issue when he had appeared before PAC to explain the loss to the exchequer caused by the 2G spectrum allocation.
"I wonder why he is speaking today," he said.
"Singh had made a similar statement after his retirement. But when we questioned him he denied giving any interview. He was questioned on the issue by the Joint Parliamentary Committee as well but he failed to prove anything," Joshi said.
Joshi said it was impossible for the report to be written under pressure and Singh himself had written it.
On his fresh allegations, he said the former CAG officer has also not furnished any document to prove his claims.
"It (Singh's allegations) is an attempt by the government to cover up corruption by defaming these institutions (PAC and CAG) which are watchdogs of misappropriation of funds. It is part of that campaign," he said.
Joshi termed as "baseless" Singh's claims that CAG officials had met him at his residence on a gazetted holiday to help him prepare PAC's report on 2G spectrum allocation.
Asked about Congress demand for a probe into the allegations, the BJP leader said, "Congress can demand any absurd thing. It is their last attempt to cover up their misdeeds."
Law minister questions integrity of govt auditor
Law minister Ashwani Kumar questioned the integrity of the government auditor and demanded that truth behind the CAG's presumptive loss estimate of Rs 1.76 lakh crore be made public.
"Certainly some of the findings of the CAG have now become very doubtful. People are entitled to know what is the truth that has now come out," Kumar told reporters outside Parliament House.
The Law minister said, "I think the conversation between the chairman of PAC and CAG without knowledge of other members of the PAC should be made public" and added there is "need to preserve the integrity" of Constitutional institutions like CAG.
The CAG report, which was tabled in Parliament in November 2010, had pegged the revenue loss to the exchequer on account of allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008 at 1.76 lakh crore raising a political storm.
The controversy over 2G spectrum allocation also led to cancellation to 122 licences by the Supreme Court.
RP Singh pawn in the hands of Govt: BJP
BJP today accused former CAG official R P Singh, who has questioned estimates of 2G allocation losses, of being a "pawn" in the hands of the government and termed his charges as part of a "sinister conspiracy".
"This public comment by retired CAG officer R P Singh is a very sinister conspiracy. He is a pawn in the hands of Congress and government to defame the CAG," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters outside Parliament.
"He kept quiet for the whole one year. He presented the report on 2G before JPC, does not say anything. He appeared before PAC does not say anything," Prasad said.
About the allegation that the CAG official meeting PAC Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi at the latter's residence, BJP leader said, "Meeting between the PAC chairman and CAG officer is a routine thing because they report to the PAC."
Attacking the government, Prasad said, "It is part of the pattern by the government. Their ministers have been attacking CAG and now this a fresh one. We completely condemn this. It is unfortunate and regrettable."
Murli Manohar Joshi, CAG must clear air on 2G allocation loss figure: Govt
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Murli Manohar Joshi, CAG must clear air on 2G allocation loss figure: Govt
