CBI Director contradicts Sibal; wrong to say ''zero loss''

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) CBI Director A P Singh todaycontradicted Telcom Minister Kapil Sibal on his claim that the2G spectrum allocation had caused "zero loss" to the nationalexchequer as he appeared before Parliament''s Public AccountsCommittee (PAC).

Singh was quizzed by the members of the Committee onvarious aspects of the 2G spectrum allocation which the CBI isinvestigating.

"As far as he (Singh) has seen the case, to say ''zeroloss'' is wrong," PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi told a pressconference after the meeting.

A member of the Committee said the CBI chief was of theview that it would be "wrong to say that there was zero sumloss in allocation of 2 G spectrum on first-come-first-servebasis."

This assertion of the CBI chief contradicts Sibal who hadclaimed that the 2G spectrum allocation had caused "zero loss"to the exchequer and rubbished as "utterly erroneous" theCAG''s calculation that the presumptive loss was to the tune ofRs 1.76 lakh crore.

The CBI, in its FIR in the 2G case, has said the lossescould be to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore.

The CBI Director was asked about the methodology used bythe agency to calculate the losses caused by the allegedirregularities in the 2G spectrum allocations.

He said he would be unable to accurately quantify the lossto the exchequer as his focus was on unravelling the criminalaspect of the alleged scam.

He told the members that he would get back to the PAC onthe matter.

To questions on whether former Telecom Minister ArunShourie would be called by the PAC, Joshi pointed out that theCBI has already asked him to appear before it on February 21.

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