2G Scam Verdict: What Were the Charges in CAG Vinod Rai’s Report?

All 17 accused including A Raja and Kanimozhi were acquitted by a special CBI court in the 2G scam.

In a new twist to the 2G spectrum scam, the 17 accused in the case were acquitted of all charges by a special CBI court in New Delhi on Thursday, 21 December. Former telecom minister A Raja, Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, and 15 other accused stand “vindicated” after the verdict was delivered on cases filed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against them. Here is what Judge OP Saini declared:

I have absolutely no hesitation in holding that prosecution has miserably failed to prove any charge against any accused.

CBI Judge OP Saini 

Also Read: Verdict In 2G Scam Will Be Out Today: Here’s A Recap

What Did the CAG Report Say?

The Vinod Rai-led Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the allotment of 2G Spectrum licences, which was submitted on 10 November 2010, held former Telecom Minister A Raja responsible for flouting rules, giving free reign to favouritism and above all, costing the government a “presumptive loss” of Rs 1.76 lakh crore by misusing his power to allocate 2G spectrum.

Here are the highlights of the CAG report on the 2G spectrum allocation scam, as reported by NDTV:

1. Allocation of 2G spectrum led to a “presumptive loss” of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.


2. As many as 85 firms concealed facts and presented fake papers to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).


3. A Raja turned a deaf ear to the advice of the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Law Ministry.


4. DoT kept spectrum pricing issue out of the ambit of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telecom.


5. 2G spectrum issued to new players at throwaway prices.


6. Swan Telecom was given unjustified advantage in spectrum allocation.


7. Spectrum allocated beyond contracted quantity to nine companies, including Bharti, Vodafone, Idea, BSNL, Reliance, Aircel.


8. Email ID of Swan Telecom shown as that of a Reliance ADA group official

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9. In an illegal move, Idea and Spice were not issued spectrum on grounds of a proposed merger.


10. Cut-off date for license letters were advanced arbitrarily by a week.


11. DoT did not follow its own practice of first-come-first-serve.


12. Spectrum, a rare source of national wealth, should have been auctioned.


13. A huge lack of transparency pervaded the entire process, which was arbitrary to begin with.

Also Read: Exclusive | SC’s Scrutiny Kept 2G Scam Probe Fair: Ex-CBI Director