PAC inches closer to grill PM in 2G scam

New Delhi, Mar 10: These are troubled times for Indian polity's Mr. Clean Dr Manmohan Singh. With a slew of scandals breaking out every now and then and almost everyone of them having one or more things to do with the PM's office, there now seems to be a huge question mark over his integrity. And as a manifestation of the growing doubts in the public mind, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is also inching closer to grill the Prime Minister in the 2G spectrum scandal.

PAC is bracing up to interrogate principal secretary to the PM, T K A Nair and cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, which is also seen in political spheres as the step prior to question the Prime Minister.

The PAC, a parliamentary panel is at the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's(CAG) report of irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum at low prices and deceitful procedures.

The committee is also expected to call Arun Mathur, the chief of the Enforcement Directorate, as his office is looking at money-trails in the alleged kickbacks.

At a meeting of the PAC on Mar 9, Yashwant Sinha, a former finance minister and Senior BJP leader pressed for the needs to question PMO officials and the cabinet secretary.

The PAC is also expected to summon media organisations that published the recorded conversations of lobbyist Niira Radia. The tapes indicated that A Raja's appointment as telecom minister in the second tenure of the UPA, was also a result of lobbying. Name of several influential figures like Ratan Tata, DMK MP Kanimozhi, seasoned journalists and some other MPs also came out in the tapes to further embarrass the government and indicate that the 2G scandal was due to a much larger network where influential figures from almost every walk of life figured as hand-in gloves.

OneIndia News