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The officer behind the CAG’s 2G spectrum audit has said he was told to sign off on the controversial report by CAG headquarters even though he did not agree with the report’s findings.
R P Singh, former D-G, Post and Telecommunications at CAG, also said that CAG officials visited the residence of BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on a holiday to help him prepare the panel’s report on the 2G spectrum allocation.
The PAC report was strongly critical of the roles played by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Attorney-General G E Vahanvati. About half the 21-member PAC, led by Congress members, rejected the report. On April 30, 2011, Joshi submitted the report to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar without their signatures, which the Speaker returned.
R P Singh told The Indian Express in a telephone interview that CAG officials had visited Joshi’s residence on the Good Friday holiday on April 22, 2011.
“I got to know from my team members that CAG officials including senior CAG officials from headquarters went to the PAC chairman’s residence and assisted him in preparing the PAC report. I cannot say with certainty what exactly transpired at the meeting,” Singh said.
Asked if there was an attempt by the PAC chairman to influence the outcome of the CAG’s 2G report before it was tabled in Parliament, Singh said “it appears” from a note prepared by R B Sinha, D-G at CAG headquarters, that there were “some telephone calls by the PAC chairman to access the 2G report which was under preparation”.
The PAC had been examining the 2G matter since 2008. Joshi became PAC chairman in 2010. The CAG report was tabled in Parliament on November 16, 2010, and put the presumptive loss from spectrum allocation between Rs 57,666 crore and Rs 1.76 lakh crore.
On the CAG’s report, Singh said: “This was not my report. It was CAG’s (the institution’s) report. What can I do as a subordinate when the CAG (Vinod Rai) has issued written instructions on how he wants the report? I sent a report which calculated a loss of Rs 2,645 crore. This was on May 31, 2010. After this my audit team was attached with CAG headquarters under Deputy CAG Rekha Gupta. I was not involved in the inclusion of auditing the Ministry of Finance. In July 2010, I was sent a heavily revised report, and asked to issue (it) to the Ministry of Finance and Department of Telecommunication. There was little I could do when I got a written instruction.”
The CAG report resulted in the stalling of Parliament by the opposition led by the BJP until the government agreed to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in February 2011.
Singh retired in September 2011. He has deposed several times before the JPC looking into alleged differences of opinion within the CAG on the 2G report.
The CAG’s report did not have audit guidelines, which is integral to the audit process, “I wrote a letter to Rekha Gupta as early as in February 2010 seeking guidance on the preparation of audit guidelines, and subsequently reminded headquarters. However, I never got a reply,” Singh said.
Singh said he had communicated his disapproval of the audit report to CAG Vinod Rai through official channels. “I wrote a few letters to Rekha Gupta with a copy to CAG (Rai), explaining my views on the audit process and the calculation of loss among other details, which I was not approving. But I never had direct interaction with CAG (Rai) on this matter,” he said.
The parameters used in the CAG’s calculation were not tenable, Singh said. “I was of the opinion that documents available with us were categorical that charging of 2G spectrum was never recommended by Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India), nor has the government ever contemplated any charges for the spectrum other than entry fee. In my communications to headquarters I maintained there was no documentary evidence to substantiate the calculations on the formula suggested by CAG headquarters. However, my office forwarded presumptive loss calculated on the basis on directions from CAG headquarters,” he said.
The claim of RP Singh that report is not his has no meaning because it is the report of CAG which is presented to the Parliament and CAG is not saying it is not his report. RP Singh was a junior officer in the CAG Office. In every Govt organisation notes are prepared by the junior officers but the ultimate decision is taken at an appropriate level-may be at the level of the Secretary or Minister. That decision is communicated under the signatures of the Junior Officer- mostly under-secretay. May be the view expressed by under-secretary is not finally approved, but he has to sign on the final decision. The communications to other persons are normally not signed by Secretaries or the Ministers but the decision might have been taken at the level of Minister or Secretary. Transfer orders are generally issued under the signatures of under-secretary, though decided at the level of Minister or even Cabinet. That is what happened in this case. Report is of CAG though signed by RP Singh.
If he closes his eyes and without applying his brains, if he was signing a document, then he is not fit to be a senior official. LET HIM RESIGN HIS POST FIRST, THEN TALK. RP Singh - WE PEOPLE OF INDIA ARE NOT PREPARED TO BUY YOUR COCK AND BULL STORY. HOW BIG IS THE SUITCASE YOU GOT FROM THE FILTHY CONGRESS?
This auditor has cheated the public by submitting a report he now claims to be ab initio wrong. He should go behind bars for life. Nothing less will do. And of course all his wealth should be confiscated and his dependents given just sustenance pension.
Mr Singh must be a member of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service. For him to say he signed on the dotted lines does not look convincing. If this be true, MrSinghs pension and other benefits should be stopped forthwith for signing an inaccurate report. Having signed it, he cannot backtrack on it.herein we are not questioning the merits or demerits of 2G loss but the integrity of an audit official who has signed the report.
The conspiracy of the Meritorious Community is out now.Where are the eloquent lot who used to fill this page? Where are they hiding. Whar is Anna Hazare, Kejaries, Bedis doing. Aryan Conspiracy will not Work anymore. Truth Will prevail , may take time . Do not dream to get back your lost Glory of Proxi Ruling .
"R P Singh, former D-G, Post and Telecommunications at CAG," is stupid to claim that he just signed a report on being told to sign it. He is an officer of very high status and part of Constitutional Institution. At that status he must know what weightage his signature carries. Lucky for he did not sign his own death warrant
When R.K Singh signed for for his date of birth and later changed you all supported because it suited you. Now a junior officer says he was coerced to sign a doc Why you find fault with him.
Friends , Don't be so simple and anybody can make advantage of that. Even a child knows that when 3G is already there and also 3G response is not that good. Also there is uncertainity in telecom industry post-license cancellation.Hence no company will show interest in old technology-2G at higher price. Comparing 2G price now (10,000 Cr) and then (1,76 Lacs Cr) is almost equal to comparing P-1 computer price in 1990s and now. Interestingly no politician is talking these facts yet trying to divert attention to isolate and weaken CAG. .... Nothing else but dirty politics to demoralise few honest beaurecrat
If Mr Singh is suggesting that he as a senior officer was amenable to signing on dotted lines on behest of his superiors, what prevents us from concluding that he is not doing so now because of some inducement by some interested party
Unable to win in public support one party indulging in all these types of MEAN methods.Now real truths appear in the same way. The controversial figures are influential figures only.They are not real figures.CBI has to enquire all these aspects....
It is a bit of surprise that Mr Singh has learnt that the report was not his after almost 2 years since it came out in the media... Or is it some kind of chorus that the ruling establishment is making him sing along to undermine CAG's efforts? Almost on a daily basis,there is some news or the other in the media that makes citizens lose faith in this government and its institutions...
By now, it has been proved that grave irregularities were committed in allotment of 2G spectrums even if the amount of loss may have been less than the rfigure reported by CAG. However, overall I feel CAG has done a good job by highlighting the matter.
It is like being asked to comment and that is what he has done. What it is missing is the PROOF.
so this fellow will sign where ever he has been asked like he will tell what ever congress tell him to tell
Either CAG was a financial iliterate or a was did this to derail the country and its image.2G is a product for the masses, who need just voice and extremely low call rates. 3G is a product for the small elite who need voice, data, gaming, apps, and can pay 2000/- per month instead of 97/-( average 2G ARPU). CAG/BJP have tried to make a fool of the country. CAG must resign or be sacked by parliament.
What was suspicion is now fact. Vinod Rai has an ulterior motive for inflating the notional loss to government (and country) to 1.76 lakh crores. I'm sure he will be given a BJP ticket in the enxt election.
Since C&AG is the friend, philosopher and guide to the PAC,there is no irregularity in extending help in drafting of the PAC report on 3G spectrum allocation.
After reading the report it becomes very clear that CAG Rai was dancing to the tune of some powerful political party it becomes very clear The CAG chief needs to be made to pass through the lie detector truth so the truth comes out it is very clear he has done this report with influence to help certain political party the truth should come out and he needs to be made to pay for this including the capital punishment to be given to him he has committed a great fraud on the nation and destroyed the great instution.
Oh! Timing is very good. FDI and corruption in progress in Parliament by united Opposition and few ruling partners and this Parrot started singing on the tips of CORRUPT CONGRESS. Till now this chor was silent. Will he sign the documents against his will? Very funny. If he is not supported by the CORRUPT CONGRESS and well protected and guarded by the CBI he would have been landed in jail under the issuing false government document. First put him under arrest then further enquiries. Any time will teach him about his false statement to obstruct democratic process. Such number of clean chits are pending in tons and tons in weight issued by the puppets of CORRUPT CONGRESS. Not to worry. Proceed with further action with findings of CAG.
Mr.R P Singh's observation regarding the CAG functioning vis-a-vis the 2-G Spectrum Report is quite serious and calls for severe action if proved to be true. There is need for a thorough and comprehensive probe into the functioning of CAG, role of Mr Vinod Rai, role of Smt Rekha Gupta, any nexus between CAG officials including Mr.Vinod Rai and BJP leadership including Mr.Murli Manohar Joshi. Such probe should be by any independent authority, consisting of a retired Supreme Court Judge, senior Chartered Accountants and senior Advocates.
It is amusing how our senior bureaucrats get back their honesty and integrity post retirement. What a coward ! He signed a report implicating all the people, took his salary and kept quiet. Now post retirement he is blaming his superiors. If he were dishonest to get this salary earlier, he is probably lying to get back an income source now.
There should be accountability. If CAG has knowingly used wrong formula to create this report then he should be investigated. CAG should also calculate how much parliament time was lost due to this and how much that has costed to the nation. Any comments Mr. Kejriwal?
It is no doubt a brahmin conspiracy.........
Some rubbish. Who forced him to sign. Is he a child who could be forced to sign. Why was he so quiet for so long while this ISSUE has been on for such a long time.This gentleman must have been planted there by the congress party.
It is very clear from the article that BJP's murli Manhor Joshi manipulated the CAG report on 2G with the help of Vinod Rai and Rekha Gupta. Now BJP stands exposed in interfering on making a report by a constitutional authority and crying hoarse.
