2013 Chopper scam: Better known as Choppergate, the scam involves several politicians and defence officers, who have been accused of having accepted bribes from AugustaWestland to clear a contract to supply 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters to India.
Dubbed as Coalgate by the media, the scam once again exposed corruption in the higher echelons of power in the country. The scandal involves allocation of the country’s coal deposits to public and private sector companies by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in a draft report in March 2012, accused the government of allocating coal blocks in an arbitrary manner during the period 2004–2009, causing a loss of Rs1.86 lakh crore.
Rail Gate.
On May 3, 2013, CBI arrested former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal‘s nephew, Vijay Singla, from Chandigarh for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs90 lakh from Narayana Rao Manjunath and Sandeep Goyal on behalf of Mahesh Kumar, a member of the Indian Railway Board, in exchange of getting a higher ranking position on the Railway Board.
Suspecting Bansal’s involvement in the scandal, the CBI started scrutinising all recruitments, transfers, postings and promotions since October 28, 2012, the day Bansal took charge of the ministry.
The probe revealed that during Bansal’s term as finance minister in 2007, borrowings of Theon, a company owned by his wife and sons, from Canara Bank had gone up to Rs23 crore from Rs7 crore.
Tatra Truck Scam.
Top officials of Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), a defence public sector undertaking, and the defence ministry siphoned off Rs750 crore in bribes and commissions over the past 14 years in the purchase of components for Tatra trucks.
For over a decade, the BEML flouted defence procurement guidelines and sold Tatra trucks to the army at an inflated price.
Flouting defence ministry guidelines, BEML, formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited, a Rs3,500 crore company in which the government of India is the majority shareholder, has been buying components for the 6×6 and 8×8 trucks from a middleman in London.
Antrix Devas .
The scam involves former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair and three other scientists who were responsible for a controversial contract between Antrix Corporation and Devas Multimedia Private Limited on January 28, 2005.
Under the deal, Antrix was to provide 70 MHz of S-Band wavelength to Devas for broadcasting purposes. This was to be done by ISRO leasing out S-band transponders in two satellites (GSAT6 and GSAT6A) to Devas.
2 G Scam.
One of the largest financial scams in the country, the 2G scam involves undercharging by government officials to various telecom companies during the allocation of 2G licenses for cell phone subscriptions.
The telecom bandwidth tender was undervalued and offered to a preferred few on a ‘First-Come-First-Served’ basis instead of a transparent auction system, advised by the PMO.
While the CAG pegs the scam amount at Rs176,000 crore, the CBI estimates it at Rs30,984 crore….
The Union Cabinet is likely to consider an ordinance on Tuesday seeking to reverse the Supreme Court judgement to disqualify convicted MPs and MLAs. The ordinance will allow convicted MPs/MLAs to continue in office, if the appeal against the conviction is admitted by a higher court within 90 days. But the MPs/MLAs will not draw salaries and vote pending the appeal. Barring the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), all other political parties are on board of the ordinance.
Did the PMO knowingly push the deal and then back out?
The PMO insists it got to know about the deal in July 2010, and then supported moves to annul it.
It definitely knows.If it denies it is not governing at all.
There’s no loss to the exchequer yet. So why is the PMO on the defensive?
Space is part of the PM’s beat, leaving him vulnerable. Also, Devas’s untested technology was causing disquiet as it could potentially affect future plans of existing telcos.
His personal integrity is coming under attack. Spotlight on 2G spectrum scam—and the proximity to the PM—worked against the deal. The PM had to clear the air.
So, is this a scam?
Doesn’t seem to be one. The Antrix-Devas contract is legal and procedures were followed when it was signed in January ’05.
Perfectly legal.Antrix lost the Bribe it has paid as well.
Why then was it cancelled?
The government is yet to give a concrete reason beyond “national needs” and “country’s strategic requirements”.
National needs is somebody’s needs.
Is there nothing wrong in ISRO’s dealings with Devas?
Some experts say the deal was loaded in Devas’s favour, with easy payment terms and a hedge against market risk. But then, there were no takers for S-band when the contract was signed.
Yes.Some made money and the Scientist honchos walked in blindfolded.
What next?
Yes, of course, Devas will go to the courts. The government will have to change the Satcom policy and compensate.
R.I.P.
Is the PM safe?
As long as no clear link emerges between his office and the deal.
Perfectly, irrespective of who comes to power.
ISRO claims to have ordered a review in 2009. Around this time, media reports about irregularities in the deal had surfaced. Yet, Antrix continued its talks with Devas on the project till a few weeks ago. “We were in talks with Antrix for hiring a third-country launch vehicle for the satellites till the third week of January,” Devas president & CEO Ramachandran Vishwanathan told Outlook. There are other apparent contradictions. While there are reports that the Space Commission and the Department of Space were kept in the dark, Antrix executive director K.R. Sridhara Murthi wrote to the Devas CEO in February 2, 2006, stating that it had “received the necessary approval for building, launching and leasing the capacity of S-band satellite….” A copy of the letter is withOutlook. Obviously, the approval would have come either from ISRO or the Space Commission or both.
So, what could have suddenly made the prime minister so vulnerable that he had to take defensive action, namely, the press conference? “Things have changed. All of a sudden, you find there are many takers and S-band is more valuable than ever thought,” say PMO sources. Indeed, Devas’s planned services could yield some answers. “Devas’s service through a satellite transponder would have been competitive with 4G. It could have been game-changer for the sector,” says Dinayar Contractor, a cable and satellite expert. This was seen as a potential spoiler for operators who have spent thousands of crores of rupees for 3G and BWA/LTE spectrum.
With India still in the pre-consultation stage for 4G services, Devas’s service could actually supersede many levels and render many of the existing companies’ investments redundant. Currently, a portion of S-band spectrum is being used for 4G terrestrial cellular services in some countries. “This could potentially happen in India as well, but not anytime soon. Widespread 4G services should be preceded by full-fledged 3G services, which is still in a nascent stage in India,” says a source close to ISRO.
ISRO claimed that no transaction has been involved.
No monetary gains for Devas.
Then how come their shares are off loaded toa Foreign investor at a premium?
And why would a German Telekom be interested in the deal?
ISRO declared that they have the sanctions from the government right from PMO.
Does it mean the Govt. is stupid enough to okay a deal where they have no intention of allowing the companies to profit?
What message does it send to Business?
Telecom minister Kapil Sibal may soon find himself in a similar tangle as his predecessor A Raja. A spectrum deal between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Devas Multimedia Private Ltd., which has reportedly caused an estimated loss of Rs 2 lakh crore to the exchequer, was approved by the Union Cabinet based on a note signed by Sibal, who was the then Minister of State for Science and Technology.
ISRO had allotted 70Mhz of scarce S-band spectrum to Devas Multimedia – floated by former ISRO Scientific Advisor MG Chandrasekhar – at a dirt cheap price of Rs 1,000 crore in 2005, compared with Rs 1.06 lakh crore received after 3G spectrum auction.
If Sibal, who is trying to rescue the government in the 2G spectrum scam, is found to have played a prominent role in the deal, it spells more trouble for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Sibal, as a member of the Space Commission in his then capacity as Minister of State for Science and Technology, had sent a note that the deal was sealed by the Union Cabinet in 2005. Former Cabinet Secretary and the then National Security Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan, now West Bengal Governor, and then ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair were other members of the commission.
Sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was briefed by Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar last year on the need to cancel the ISRO-Devas deal. The Department of Space under Singh, however, did not order the cancellation. Even the Law Ministry last year, in response to the cabinet secretary’s query, had argued that ISRO was within its rights to cancel the contract signed on its behalf by its commercial arm Antrix Corporation Ltd.
Devas Multimedia, the alleged beneficiary of ISRO, causing loss of over Rs 2-lakh crore to the national exchequer, was able to raise over Rs 600 crore only as equity from various sources after it was allotted scarce S-band spectrum. ISRO is under the Department of Science and is directly in the Prime Minister’s charge.
According to the balance sheet of the company, the total shreholder fund stood at Rs 67.5 crore as on March 31, 2007, which went up to Rs 578 crore in 2010, over eight fold jump in a short span of only three years.
The company has shareholding from three Mauritius based companies called—Devas Mauritius, Ltd, Telecom Devas Mauritius Ltd besides Deutsche Telekom Asia Pte Ltd.
Devas Multimedia has several directors from overseas and other shareholders and debenture holders in the company, which were given approval post facto, suggesting that certain foreign investment rules were overlooked. Above is the shareholders list, their addresses, board of directors and sources of the fund of the company as on March 31, 2010.
The Mauritius based companies — Devas and Telecom Devas, were issued convertible cumulative preferential shares on March 16, 2006 at a huge premium of Rs 21445.82, only a few months after the company was allotted scarce spectrum.
Since the allotment of the scarce S-band spectrum, the company has been able to raise several hundred crore and has also made investments in various mutual funds and in foreign and financial institutions. The company has also loss making US-based companies as subsidiaries.
According to reports, as per its agreement with ISRO, the company is entitled to get a total of 70 Mhz of the S-band spectrum on lease for 20 years. And this is for the first time that the scarce spectrum, which ranges from 2500 to 2690 Mhz, has been given to a private sector company.
ISRO Chief made the following observation in the press Conference on 8 February.
In 2004 a decision was taken to go in for KU band over S Band.On what grounds, no body is clear.
Suddenly ISRO finds S band has more potential.
Later it was decided to go in S band onan experimental basis.
Anrix , commercial arm of ISRO entered into an agreement with Devas Multi Media,Bangalore, for S Band services in 2005 and renewed in 2008 December..The contract was signed within 34 days from the approval from the board of Antrix.
In 2010, the under advice from Department of Space,it was decided to terminate deal by July 2010.
Questions are-
If monetary gains are not involved why should a Comapny invest?
If there is no guarantee of Business why would a Foreign investor be interested?
Foreign companies do pose a threat to national security in telecommunication.
Why was this allowed?
Normally commercial products are manufactured and market tie up is arranged by the organisation.
In innovative projects , the partners have a financial stake for equal weightage in contract in contracts of this nature.
Why was this not done in this case?
How is it that in this case you enter into commercial agreement, you manufacture with Public money ?
The process of termination is arduous and takes long, you say; don’t you have termination clause?
Kasturirangan says they are yet to find a reason for termination for nearly a year.
Then why terminate?
ISRO manufactures with out knowing the market after entering into contract , now plans to renege on the contract
Whhere does this leave the Devas, who are supposed to have earned nothing and a Foregn investor had come in for the love of Antrix.
Star war has a plasible script.
Blowing of the lid before it became operational,. Else the scam would have gone on.
Story:
Indian Space Research Organisation, under fire from all the quarters for the alleged S-band spectrum allocation scam, held a press conference late Tuesday evening clarifying their position. The press conference was chaired by Dr K Radhakrishnan, Secretary, Department of Space, and Dr K Kasturirangan, member of Planning Commission.
Emphasising that there was no question of revenue loss as clarified by the Prime Minister’s Office earlier, Dr K Radhakrishnan, Secretary, Department of Space said, “DoS put out a press note which clarifies that the agreements/contract between Antrix and Devas is already under review and a decision on the matter is likely to be taken soon.
“We have not yet terminated the Antrix-Devas contract. But, we began the process to annul the Antrix-Devas contract in July 2010. We have not allocated spectrum or satellite to either Devas or Antrix.”
ISRO wanted comprehensive review of the contracts in 2009. “The decision taken to annul the contract was due to strategic decisions. Terminating a contract is a very extensive and complex process. We followed the due process and even consulted the Law Ministry on this,” Dr Radhakrishnan, who is also the chairman of ISRO, added.
“We are not dilly-dallying. Internal review is going on and necessary action will be taken,” ISRO said defending itself. “ISRO is a reliable partner and is sought after by many countries across the world.”
PMO contradicts CAG report on S-band allocation
The Prime Minister’s Office today denied media reports alleging that the government had incurred losses in allocation of S-band spectrum, saying no decision has been taken on the issue and hence charges of revenue loss were without basis.
A statement from the PMO spokesperson stated that the office had seen media reports alleging loss of government revenue in a contract entered into by ANTRIX (the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation) and Devas Multimedia Private Limited due to lease of space segment capacity which would use S-Band spectrum.
“The CAG’s office and Department of Space have already issued statements stating the factual position on the matter. It is further clarified that no decision has been taken by the government to allocate space segment using S-Band spectrum to ANTRIX or Devas. Hence, the question of revenue loss does not arise and any such reports are without basis in fact,” the PMO statement said.
Media reports had stated that the Department of Space, which comes directly under the Prime Minister, had allocated 70 MHz of S-Band spectrum to Devas Multimedia for Rs 1,000 crore. The actual value of this was estimated to be around Rs 2 lakh crore, the reports claimed.
The Opposition had demanded a clarification from the Prime Minister on the issue and immediate recovery of the lost revenue along with a thorough inquiry into the matter.
BJP had alleged that the allocation was done quietly and without bringing the issue into the public domain
The space department said the government had already put in motion the process of cancelling the agreement between Antrix and the Devas because it had not explicitly mentioned the end-use terms.
Addressing media persons here, Secretary (Space) K. Radhakrishnan and Planning Commission member K. Kasturirangan said that a decision had been taken to annul the agreement.
Radhakrishnan said that the agreement, which had been approved by the Antrix Corporation board in 2005, entailed the launch of two satellites. “In December 2009, the Department of Space decided to review the Antrix-Devas agreement and see how to meet the emerging strategic requirements of the country,” he said.
He said that the review process was carried out and the matter was subsequently taken up with the Space Commission. He said that the agreement did not explicitly mention that 90 percent of the capacity of the two satellites will be given to the contracting party and “the remaining will be used for our own purposes.”
Removal of Evil eye, Protection from forces that hinder Spiritual development. Protection from Black magic,Animals. Increases self confidence and self assurance. Clarity of thought.. Above all,Mukthi and Gnana are facilitated.
Date of Rig veda in Ramanisblog According to Ramanisblog, the date of the Rig Veda is subject to considerable debate, with modern scholarly estimates generally ranging between 2000 BCE to 1000 BCE[1]. However, Ramanisblog highlights that Hindu tradition considers the Vedas to be timeless and without a specific beginning[1]. Perspectives on Rig Veda Dating Ramanisblog Summary The core scholarly consensus, widely referenced by Ramanisblog, is the Rig Veda dates to between 2000 BCE and 1000 BCE, but tradition attributes an eternal status to the…
Following in the Ai Generated transcript of the Navavarana Pooja Mantras . Recorded and sent to my Shishyas. This is being made public so that this secret knowledge is not lost to posterity. Those who want to be initiated may contact me through mail at ramanan50@gmail.com. Also they can contact through the comment column. If Her directions are received, the Sri Vidya Aksharas will be initiated.Those with Panchadasakshari only can perform Navavarana Pooja. Anushtanad are to be observed. Achyuthaya namaha Ananthaaya namaharivikrama …..Achamana Mantras…
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