2G: Mathur tells court cut-off date decision was Raja’s alone

Former telecom secretary DS Mathur, a key prosecution witness in the 2G spectrum case, told a special CBI court today that it was former telecom minister A Raja who had taken the controversial decision to advance the cut-off date for receipt applications for Unified Access Service (UAS) licences.

Holding Raja solely responsible for the decision, Mathur told the court, “In a meeting chaired by the Minister, the decisions are taken by the Minister and I, as Secretary (Department of Telecom), could only have given my advice. Advice was given by me during the discussion.”

Mathur denied the defence’s claim that he was party to the decision. “It is wrong to suggest that I approved the decision. I only marked the file to the Minister, who approved it on the same day.”

The 1971 IAS officer was being cross-examined by Raja’s defence lawyer Sushil Kumar.

Mathur rejected the Defence’s case that considering “the likely number of eligible applicants, likely availability of spectrum and precedent of licencees waiting for spectrum allocation” 25 September, 2007 (the advanced cut-off date) was the best option as per the NTP (new telecom policy) - 99, UASL Guidelines and TRAI recommendations.

The former telecom secretary told the court that he did “not know the background in which the minister had taken this decision of 2 November, 2007”. (to advance cut-off date to 25 September, 2007 from 1 October, 2007)

Questioned by the Defence as to why he had not recorded his dissent in writing, he said, “It is correct that on file I did not question the decision of the Minister to process the applications received up to 25 September, 2oo7 when the file came up to me on 11 November, 2007…I did object on 5 November, 2007 and that is why a fresh meeting was held on 6 November, 2007.”

Mathur had told the court last Monday (9 April) that he felt that Raja’s decision to advance the cut-off date (from 1 October, 2007 to 25 September, 2007) for receipt of new applications for UASL applications “may be considered arbitrary and it may give rise to legal complications later on.”

He had also told the court that he had personally told Raja that the decision needs to be reconsidered.

Mathur served as telecom secretary to Raja from July 2006 to December 2007.

It may be recalled Raja that has been charged by the special CBI court of advancing the cut-off date for receipt of UASL applications as part of a conspiracy with others accused in the 2G spectrum case to “ensure better prospects” to “favoured companies”.