PM refers Shunglu report on Lalli to CBI

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) In a quick follow up action,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today referred to CBI theShunglu Committee report that had indicted suspended PrasarBharti chief B S Lalli and Doordarshan Director General ArunaSharma in the award of broadcasting rights of CommonwealthGames causing Rs. 135 crore loss to the exchequer.

Sharma, who belongs to the Madhya Pradesh cadre of IAS,has also been directed to be reverted back to the state.

Prime Minister, who is away in Guwahati today, issueddirections from there to seek explanations from Lalli andSharma on the allegations and recommend appropriate actionwithin two weeks.

A fortnight after the first report of the high levelcommittee headed by former CAG V K Shunglu pointed to the lossof Rs 135 crore in the award of the contract, a PMO releasesaid the Prime Minister decided to refer the report to theCBI.

He took the decision after considering the report on theHost Broadcasting Issues related to the Commonwealth Games andthe report given by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar.

In its report, the committee fixed the responsibilityfor providing "undue benefit" to Sis Live and ZoomCommunications primarily on Lalli and Sharma and said theycannot be recused from the acts of omission and commissionwhich facilitated this wrong doing.

The committee had also said certain actions seem toattract penal provisions under IPC and the Prevention ofCorruption Act which needs to be separately investigated.

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