New Delhi: A day after dragging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's name into the 2G spectrum scam, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa has made startling new allegations against the Tata Group and Videocon Group's Venugopal Dhoot.
Balwa on Tuesday accused the Tatas of paying former telecom minister and 2G scam-accused A Raja Rs 20 crore in the name of charity.
According to Balwa Tatas made the donation of Rs 20 crore to Raja in the name of charity to a medical college-cum-hospital in Perambalur and acknowledged it was done on a special case.
Balwa's lawyer Majeed Memon referred to a letter written by Raja to the Tatas regarding a donation of Rs 20 crore for a medical college-cum-hospital in Perambalur.
"On September 15, 2009, Ratan Tata himself wrote to Raja acknowledging the receipt of his letter for donation and also mentioned that Tatas have never made a grant of this magnitude to an external person. However, the grant of Rs 20 crore is made to a hospital in Perambalur as a special case," Majeed Memon said.
Memon asked the court as to what is this special case that Ratan Tata referred to and why is it not being looked at suspiciously.
"Making a donation as a special case is the easiest way for a person to receive favour. If I were to give illegal gratification of Rs 200 crore as alleged for favours from Raja, why would I adopt circuitous route where the money finally does not even reach him. I could have also made a cheque towards charity," he said.
Balwa also said Venugopal Dhoot of the Videocon Group had entered Parliament using the identity card of MP Rajkumar Dhoot and got in touch with telecom department officials.
Balwa claimed that this access helped Dhoot jump the queue in getting a 2G licence while also claiming that he was innocent and had no role in the allotment of 2G spectrum while defending himself in the court of Special Judge OP Saini in New Delhi.
Balwa claimed that it was the Department of Telecom which took all the decisions regarding the grant of licences to telecom firms and left out Tata.
Refuting CBI allegations that he plotted with Raja and others to pocket 2G spectrum licence in lucrative Delhi circle at the cost of the Tatas, Balwa pointed out that even today 12 MHz spectrum is available for allotment in the national capital circle.
"Even today 12 MHz of spectrum is available in the Delhi circle. What is stopping the Department of Telecom to allocate the spectrum to Tata in Delhi circle which needs only 4.4 MHz of spectrum here," Balwa contended.
"If at all anything is done, it has been done by the DoT and not by me. Why am I facing the criminal prosecution?," Balwa asked the court.
The real estate tycoon-turned-telecom czar told the court that it was in March 2007 that Raja got a report from the Wireless Planning and Coordination wing (WPC) saying no spectrum was available in Delhi circle.
"In November 2007, however, all of a sudden 15 MHz spectrum appeared in Delhi circle and nobody knew how did it appear," he said, adding that as per the DoT website, even today 12 MHz Spectrum is available in the Delhi circle.
Memon rubbished the CBI's claim that Delhi was the most lucrative telecommunication circle, arguing that the national capital circle was placed rather at the 5th place as per generation of revenue here.
"A false air was created that Delhi was the most lucrative circle and Swan Telecom pocketed it. Delhi is over exploited already and no wise person could run for the Delhi circle," Memon said.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged that Balwa had conspired with Raja and other accused DoT officials for grant of 2G spectrum licence to Swan Telecom and Unitech wireless, which resulted in Tata getting elbowed out of the race for spectrum in the lucrative Delhi circle despite its higher position in priority list.
"Lot of noise is being made about alleged injustice to the Tatas but the important part of one of the pre-requisites to obtain licence was to obtain no-dues-certificate from the WPC as without a no-dues-certificate (NDC), one could not be entertained (for grant of licence)," Memon said.
"As per a TDSAT order, Tata Tele services was required to obtain a NDC from WPC before signing the licence agreement," he said.
"NDC was issued by WPC to Tata till February 27, 2008. It is only on February 27, 2008, that they received a no due certificate and made an amended application for licence on March 5, 2008," he added.
"Tatas themselves caused the delay by not obtaining a NDC for entire February and so their grievance cannot be attributed to me (Balwa)," he said.
Contrary to Raja's argument seeking to embroil Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the 2G scam, Balwa had on Monday asserted in the court that he, as well Raja, were not finding fault with Singh, who only supported the right policy.
"We (Shahid Balwa and A Raja) are not finding fault with the stand taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as being reported by the media," Memon had said.
Balwa, facing charges of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption, was arrested on February 8 and is presently lodged in Tihar Jail along with 13 other accused including Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi.
The CBI chargesheet has alleged that a bribe money of Rs 200 crore had been channelised from Balwa's DB Realty to DMK-run Kalaignar TV through a "circuitous route" via Cineyug Films and Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd for grant of licence to Balwa's Swan Telecom.
(With additional information from PTI)
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