2G: ED records former Telecom sec Ghosh's statement

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate today recorded the statement of former Telecom Secretary Shyamal Ghosh in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in the grant of additional 2G spectrum during 2001-03. Ghosh was quizzed by ED officials on the decision of his ministry to provide additional spectrum to telecom companies without TRAI’s approval. [caption id=“attachment_280210” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Ghosh was quizzed by ED officials on the decision of his ministry to provide additional spectrum to telecom companies without TRAI’s approval. Reuters”]  [/caption] The former bureaucrat, according to sources, also submitted a few personal financial documents to the agency. Ghosh, who had served as the top bureaucrat in the Telecom Ministry during NDA rule when late Pramod Mahajan was Telecom Minister, recorded his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). CBI had also registered a case against Ghosh and searched his residence last year as it is also probing the 2G spectrum allocation during NDA rule. In its FIR, CBI had alleged there was a loss of Rs 508 crore to the state exchequer during 2001-07. Apart from Ghosh, the agency has named the then Deputy Director General JR Gupta and telecom firms like Vodafone and Bharti Airtel in its FIR for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional second generation spectrum during this period. ED is probing the financial dealings in this case for alleged violation of anti-money laundering laws in the spectrum allocation and subsequent generation of allegedly illegal wealth. PTI