Audit of space dept deal on: CAG

New Delhi, Feb 7 (PTI) The Comptroller and AuditorGeneral today said that audit of certain activities ofDepartment of Space (DoS) were under way but made it clearthat media reports on alleged scam in a deal between ISRO anda private firm cannot be concluded as its "findings".

In a statement, the CAG said that its attention hasbeen drawn to reports appearing in media regarding audit beingundertaken by Audit and Accounts Department of DoS.

"The news item gives the impression as if our audithas been finalised. This office clarifies that audit ofcertain activities of DoS is under way.

"Very preliminary queries have been raised which areyet to be replied by that department. Since the audit is atvery preliminary stage, it can by no stretch of imagination,be concluded that information as given in the media reportsare findings of this department," the CAG statement said.

The Hindu today reported that the CAG has startedenquiries into a 2005 agreement between the ISRO''s commercialarm Antrix Corporation Ltd and Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd overISRO launching two satellites for Devas.

The daily said Devas was to allegedly benefitunbridled use of 70 Mhz of the scarce S-Band spectrum over a20 year period from which the CAG has made preliminaryestimate of a loss of Rs 2,00,000 crore to the exchequer. PTIJD SKB