AG Vahanvati lied to save himself, says former telecom secy Beruha

Beruha, who was telecom secretary at the time when A Raja was telecom minister, has responded to the questions posed by special CBI judge OP Saini, in which he said that contentious policy decisions were taken before his appointment in the telecom ministry. ‘It is the sheer accident of my being the secretary in DoT at the time policy decisions which had been approved prior to my appointment,’ said Beruha.

The accused said that SG Vahanvati’s main concern is to disassociate himself from any involvement in formulation of the revised ‘first come first serve’ (FCFS) policy. ‘I did not have any discussions with him on any matter and he had therefore not recorded any discussion with me,’ said Beruha. He also added that while recording his opinion, the SG has made an official statement, saying, ‘I have seen the notes’, a reference to the revised FCFS policy. Beruha added, ‘In his evidence, SG therefore, has made a false statement.’

Indicating that roles have been reversed, Beruha said that actual people making all the decisions had been made witnesses in order to depose against him, while he, who had put everything on record, has been arraigned as an accused in the case. 

‘The simplest way to absolve themselves of any wrong doing was to shift the responsibility for their action to the secretary of the department, that is, me in order to implicate me in a manner desired by the prosecution,’  said Beruha.