Shyamal Ghosh bypassed DoT’s wireless advisor on the issue of spectrum pricing: CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detailed how Shyamal Ghosh, former secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), bypassed DoT?s wireless advisor and a technical committee on the issue of pricing and allocation of additional spectrum to operators.

So, the agency said that Ghosh and a few other DoT officials caused a loss to the exchequer and a corresponding gain to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar (then Hutchinson) and Sterling Cellular.

The agency is examining spectrum allocation during the NDA regime in 2001-02. The CBI has alleged that Ghosh, along with J.R. Gupta, the then deputy director general, telecom, DoT, and the beneficiary companies approved the allocation of additional spectrum up to 10 MHz at minimal incremental revenue share.

According to the CBI, this caused an ?undue pecuniary benefit of Rs 5.06 billion? to the beneficiary companies.

The FIR has alleged that Ghosh had dishonest intentions, when he did not ask the technical committee for any justification in effectively reducing the requirement of the existing subscriber base for the allocation of additional spectrum.