S-Band Spectrum Scam Expected 2 Lakh Crores

[Deal_or_No_deal]

New Delhi:  The 2G spectrum scam which has pushed the government to the brink of disaster could soon be eclipsed by another spectrum scam.

The Opposition is beginning to target the government over another inquiry by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which is studying whether S-band spectrum was given at throwaway prices to a company named Devas in 2005.

The CAG report has been summarized in an article in The Hindu newspaper today -the paper places the value of the scam at 2 lakh crores.

CAG has cautioned that "Since the audit is at very preliminary stage, it can by no stretch of imagination, be concluded that information as given in the media reports are findings of this department.

ISRO reports to the Department of Space (DoS), which in turn reports to the Prime Minister's Office.

A point that the BJP was quick to make today.

"This allocation has been done very quietly in the private  domain..the firm Devas gets custom-made satellites and transponders....this is a very serious scandal, the Dept of Space comes directly under the PM," said the BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

The Hindu says it has a copy of the contract signed six years ago between Devas and Antrix, which is the commercial branch of ISRO. Devas reportedly wants to offer satellite broadband services in India on platforms including mobile.

Antrix has to build two satellites for Devas, which would use transponders on those satellites.

The newspaper says, "Under the deal, Devas Multimedia is to get access to 70 Mhz of broadband spectrum in the 2500 Mhz band. This was once used by Doordarshan to deliver programmes by satellite to all parts of the country but is now considered to be of enormous commercial value for high-speed, terrestrial mobile communications."

The article goes on to point out that in comparison, just 15Mhz of "similar airwaves, when auctioned for 3G mobile services last year, earned the government close to Rs. 68,000 crore.

Devas Multimedia has denied any wrongdoing and said in a statement to NDTV,  "There are factual inaccuracies in the stories reported, and Devas Multimedia has not received any communication, regarding the contract, from ISRO/Antrix or any other government agency. We do not own any spectrum, and the services we provide will be based on satellite transponders leased from ISRO/Antrix, wherein both - the satellite and spectrum - belong to the space research organisation."

Source:  [url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/now-reports-of-another-spectrum-scam-83917?cp]http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/now-reports-of-another-spectrum-scam-83917?cp[/url]