2G scam: CBI set to question Loop officials
CBI had sought details of alleged transactions of nearly a dozen companies in Mauritius, official sources said.
CBI will soon question officials of Loop Telecom, under the scanner in the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation scam, on a meeting they had with the Indian high commissioner to Mauritius during which they allegedly sought details of letters rogatory (LRs) sent by the probe agency.
CBI had sought details of alleged transactions of nearly a dozen companies in Mauritius, official sources said.
Loop is being probed by investigating agencies trying to ascertain the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation scam’s money trail and beneficiaries.
Official sources said high commissioner M Ganapathi informed the external affairs ministry about the meeting. The ministry, in turn, communicated to CBI questions raised by Loop officials. Loop Telecom refused to comment.
The LRs say that “allegations have also surfaced that some public servants of government of India have stakes in Etisalat DB Telecom [formerly Swan Telecom] and Loop Telecom through Mauritius-based companies”.
India had recently sent a reminder to Mauritius for cooperation in the econd generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation scam probe. It wants information on 12 companies, including Etisalat Mauritius Limited, Delphi Investment Limited and Decan Asian Infrastructure, and their directors under the mutual legal assistance treaty.
The comptroller and auditor general has said in his report that Loop was not eligible for grant of unified access service (UAS) licence on the day it submitted application, which is September 3, 2007.
“The company changed the main object clauses in MOA/AOA so as to include the telecom sector but these alterations were registered by ROC [registrar of companies] on 28 September 2007 only. Thus, they were not eligible for grant of UAS licence on the date of submission of application in September 2007,” it said.
The auditor also said Loop made a patently false claim of the paid-up capital of Rs130.65 crore through company secretary VV Chakradeo while submitting applications for grant of UAS licences for 21 circles.