New Delhi: In a new twist to the alleged 2G scam, R.P. Singh, one of the key authors of the controversial telecom audit report, Monday told the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that the presumptive loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore in the radiowave allocation was only a “mathematical guess” and inconclusive.
Singh, former director general of audit, post and telecommunication, told members of the multi-party parliamentary probe panel that the loss suffered in the sale of scarce radiowave spectrum was only Rs.2,645 crore, according to JPC chairman P.C. Chacko.
Singh explained to the JPC that his figure of calculating the loss of Rs.2,645 crore was based on opinion as the entry fee decided in 2001 was not revised in 2008.
His figure was based on inflation rate of seven years, Chacko said.
Singh, who was supervising the telecom audit, told the JPC that he had not quantified in his draft report the losses due to non-auctioning of telecom spectrum because it was “unsolicited”.
“Loss because of 2G spectrum could not be calculated because the (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) TRAI had never recommended the auction of 2G spectrum,” Chacko quoted Singh as deposing before the JPC.
“He was categoric it was never possible to calculate the losses,” said Chacko.
The JPC chairman said that Singh was of the opinion that “to show presumptive loss in the 2G report is to bring in individual judgement which is questionable and presumptive loss is a mathematical guess.”
Singh also maintained that revenue optimisation and calculating presumptive loss was “not an audit objective” and it was added later. (IANS)