PAC meet ends abruptly, Joshi walks out

New Delhi, Apr 28 (ANI): The meeting of panel members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) ended abruptly here on Thursday with its chairman Murli Manohar Joshi walking out.

It has been reported that the other panel members raised their voices with respect to the draft report that was leaked to a certain sections of the media on Wednesday, which led to heated arguments prompting Joshi to walk out.

All 21 members of the PAC probing the 2G spectrum allocation scam were present at the meeting. According to television channel reports, 11 of the 21 members of the committee, including SP and BSP members, submitted signed voting slips rejecting the report.

The PAC panel members, who met here today, said the report on the scam was on agenda and would be discussed on merit.

"The report will be discussed on merit," Joshi told reporters before the meeting.

The panel is due to submit its report this month since its term expires on April 30.

The PAC in its report on Wednesday indicted former Telecom Minister A. Raja for misleading the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in 2008.

The draft, however, questions the officials of the Prime Minister's Office, while dealing with the 2G spectrum issues.

According to the PAC report, the PMO could have intervened faster in objections presented on A Raja's 'First Come First Serve Policy'.

The draft also says that Raja misled Dr. Manmohan Singh to fulfill his 'nefarious designs' leading to a staggering loss of revenue.

The draft further adds that the Prime Minister was aware of the advice given by the Law Ministry, which was contrary to the view of the Telecom Ministry.

The report is also critical of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who was the Finance Minister then.

According to the PAC report: "We are shocked and dismayed that instead of initiating stringent action against all those responsible for the loss, the Finance Minister in his note asked the Prime Minister to close the matter."

The PAC has seven representatives from the Congress, four from BJP, two each from AIADMK and DMK, and one each from Shiv Sena, BJD, JD (U), SP, BSP and CPI(M). (ANI)