According to Attorney General G E Vahanvati, who appeared before a Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G, a
paragraph dealing with ‘tie situations’ between two companies that fulfill certain criteria in getting licences was later deleted by the Department of Telecom. The press note said in case of a tie, the company that applied first would be preferred.
“That amendment in that press release, which had led to a qualitative change in the selection process, was not known to the AG Vahanvati,” JPC Chairman P C Chacko said. When members questioned Vahanvati about some observations noted by him on a Telecom Ministry file on January 7, 2008,
he is understood to have told the panel that his noting was merely confirmation of the facts and not the legal opinion. In its next sitting on February 12, the CBI officials, including its chief Ranjit Sinha, along with Telecom Secretary R Chandrasekhar, will appear before the JPC to record the oral evidence in the multi-crore scam.
Chacko said the panel may not call ministers as witnesses. “We will wrap up evidence-gathering and start preparing the draft of the report,” Chacko said, adding that the report is likely to be submitted to Parliament by March 31.