The Time Magazine had termed the 2G case as world’s second biggest scam after the Watergate scandal during Nixon’s presidency in United States. Today, the Patiala High Court in New Delhi acquitted all the accused in the scam, as the prosecution failed to prove the case.
Now, we all are so used to surfing the internet at the high speed of 4G, and talk about the luxury of free internet with Jio and other lucrative packages by telecom operators, that the 2G scam seems like a chapter from history. But it is not so long ago.
So, what is the 2G scam?
The Telecom scam, said to be the biggest in Independent India, was exposed in 2010 when the national auditor said that in 2007-2008, second generation or 2G licences had been given to telecom operators at throwaway prices without a free and fair bidding process.
Who was the main accused?
A Raja, from the DMK party of Tamil Nadu, was the them Minister for Communication and IT. He stepped down in 2010 after the Government’s official auditor reported a loss of INR 1.76 trillion in the scam. He was accused of cheating, forgery and conspiracy. The chargesheet also said he misled then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.Raja spent nearly a year in jail before being released on bail.
Who were the other people involved?
Along with A. Raja, several other politicians and executives of some of the top telecom companies, including the one owned by Anil Ambani’s conglomerate, were named in the case. M. K. Kanimozhi, also of DMK party, was another accused. Many bureaucrats and executives were named in the case. The media was also pulled by suggesting that BarkhaDutt knew that lobbyist NiraRadia had influenced Raja’s appointment as the Minister.
Image Credit: jagran
What was the response to the scam?
The Congress government, already caught in the midst of the anti-corruption movement, was held responsible. The winter session of the Parliament in 2010 was led to the axe, with the House only functioning for 9 hours. The Supreme Court cancelled the licenses awarded during the period. And accused the perpetrators of money laundering and corruption.
What happened today?
As the verdict was expected in the special court in new Delhi, the proceeding was delayed due to overcrowding in the court premises. In a sentence long judgement, the judge O P Saini acquitted all the accused. He said that the prosecution failed to prove the case.
Image Credit: ultra.news
What will happen next in the case?
It is a moment of vindication for the Congress. But only history will be a witness to the failure in proving India’s biggest scam. The real losers are the innocent citizens who watch the drama from the peripheries of a welfare state.
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