Date:23/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/23/stories/2008112359780900.htm

National

Spectrum: Swamy demands judicial probe

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy has demanded a CBI-assisted judicial probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge and a Joint Parliamentary Committee as well into the spectrum allocation issue.

Addressing journalists here on Saturday, he said the 2G spectrum allocation was done by the Union Telecom Ministry on a first come, first served basis.

Petition rejected

The Delhi High Court, hearing a PIL petition, rejected the first come, first served basis and recommended auctioning.

The Prime Minister also told the FICCI annual meeting in 2007 that henceforth the government would auction such licences. The Union Cabinet by a resolution on October 31, 2003, had bound future governments to auctioning telecom licences.

Malegaon probe

On the Malegaon blast probe, Dr. Swamy alleged that the government was “selectively leaking” investigation details to malign Hindu outfits and demanded a CBI probe.