PM denies failing to act over scandal

PRIME Minister Manmohan Singh has rejected charges of inaction by his government in failing to sanction a minister allegedly involved in a mobile phone licensing scandal that cost the country billions of dollars.

Singh is believed to have filed an affidavit after the Supreme Court, in a rare rebuke, demanded that he explain why the government took a year to investigate telecoms minister Andimuthu Raja, who is accused of selling second-generation, or 2G, mobile phone licences at reduced rates to undeserving applicants. Raja was forced to resign last week over the sale.

Singh said yesterday that anyone found guilty in the telecoms scandal, which has reportedly resulted in treasury losses of nearly $40 billion, would be punished.

The contents of the 11-page affidavit were not immediately available to the public. Indian media quoted unidentified sources that said the sworn statement stated there was no inaction by the prime minister in investigating the charges.