SC seeks Centre`s response on Rs1,100-crore Reliance''s WLL mobile scam

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted four more weeks time to the Centre to file its response on the allegations that a Rs1,100-crore loss was caused to the exchequer due to the previous NDA regime reportedly waiving off rules to allow Reliance Industries to operate its WLL (wireless local loop) phones as mobile phones.

The Supreme Court bench comprising justices C K Thakker and Altamas Kabir declined additional solicitor general Amarender Saran plea that the PIL, filed by the NGO Citizens Forum Against Corruption through counsel Prashant Bhushan, be dismissed.

Saran had sought the dismissal of the petition on the plea that the PIL was motivated and there was no truth in the allegation as the CBI had already stated in its affidavit.

However, the bench did not accept the argument and has asked the Centre to file its response.

According to the petition, the exchequer suffered a loss of about Rs1,100 crore after the NDA government waived mobile license fees for Reliance to operate its WLL phones as mobile phones without.

The petition contended that if Reliance had fulfilled the licencing fee norms at the same rate as other mobile operators like Airtel, Idea and Hutch, the government would have collected Rs1,100 crore as licence fee.

Waiver of the rules by the telecommunication ministry cost the exchequer a loss of revenue, the petition alleged.