New Delhi:
So how much loss did the 2G scam cause the exchequer?
An ex-official of the government's auditor says it cannot be quantified; the CBI pegs it at Rs 30,000 crore and present Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai recently defended before a parliamentary panel, his estimate that the government lost Rs 1.76 lakh crore.
NDTV has exclusive access to the proceedings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee or JPC, where Congress leader Manish Tewari took on Mr Rai on the amount of loss calculated by him.
The JPC is looking into various aspects of the 2G scam and questioned both Mr Rai and former Deputy CAG officer RP Singh on the extent of the scam last week. The two officials presented differing opinions over how much the scam had cost the exchequer.
Mr Singh reportedly told the panel that the loss could not be quantified. Mr Rai maintained that the way 2G spectrum was allotted to telecom companies by then Telecom Minister A Raja in 2008, had caused a presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.
To which Mr Tiwari observed, "It looks strange that finally two figures which are indeed very large - and I would not use the word 'sensational' - are picked up, and a figure which is "conservative" , you know, is left out. You know, it seems very awkward," Mr Tewari said.
Mr Rai responded by saying, "If we had to really make it sensational, we should have use(d) the Tata Teleservices figures also."
Mr Rai was referring to the allotment of dual spectrum to different companies and allotment of additional spectrum to existing players by Mr Raja. The CAG report mentions that if this loss is taken into account, it would put the loss from 2G above Rs 4 lakh crores.
Mr Tiwari, aggressive, asked the CAG, "Mr Rai, you cherry pick a particular figure which fits into a certain parameter, and decide to leave other figures out?"
The CAG responded by saying, "We have used it and cherry picking of the authority that you are talking about does not take place in this department."
There were other tense moments in the deposition; like when Mr Rai said, "...all these questions, Mr Chairman, which have been put to me, are asking the fact that Mr CAG you are not competent to take any decision?"
To this, Manish Tewari responded, "I do not think you should take it personally, please do not take it personally."
"I am not, now you should ask the director of the CBI, why he has come to the figure of Rs 30,000 crores. It is totally independent." Mr Rai replied.
When RP Singh deposed, a day before Mr Rai's deposition, his contention that the loss could not be quantified was interpreted by Mr Tewari as, "In effect, there was zero loss to the government?"
"Nobody can work out the actual loss," Mr Singh replied.
A day later, the CAG's reply to the same question was, "The fact that there has been a loss to the national exchequer in the allocation of 2G spectrum cannot be denied. However, the amount of loss could be debated."
With BJP and UPA members on the panel combative, Mr Rai's deposition could not be completed and will continue at a later date.