NEW DELHI: National Broadcaster Prasar Bharti Chief BS Lalli, who is
facing allegations of favouring a dubious 2010 Delhi Commonwealth
Games broadcast deal with SIS Live, on Monday ducked direct questions
and deflected blame surrounding the corruption that has shrouded the
deal.
Giving a clean chit to SIS Live deal, which executed Rs 246 crore
contract for broadcasting the rights of Commonwealth Games, Lalli said
that the selection of the company was made with the approval of
Information and Broadcast ministry and that there was no change made
in any clause after the final contract was approved by the competent
authorities.
Fresh papers with Times Now proved that Lalli disregarded important
advice on changing the broadcast contract with SIS Live. According to
documents accessed by Times Now, there was a change in the termination
clause after it was awarded to the benefit private party. It remained
unclear as to why BS Lalli defied the advice of the finance
department.
After the change was made in the contract after UK-based SIS Live
threatened the government of India at the last moment. The change in
the contract reportedly allowed SIS Live to keep equipment even if it
walked out of its obligations. The clause also ensured that 60 percent
advance payment will be made ahead of the Games, instead of 40 percent
mentioned before.
Sources said that it is tough to understand how as Prasar Bharti CEO,
Lalli could have okayed these changes in contract, an issue also
raised with Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian.
To direct questions asked by Times Now reporters, Lalli said, "It is
not correct to say that I defied the finance unit. The contract
conditions were agreed by both parties and came under strong
recommendations from the highest level of authority. There was no
change in the termination clause of the contract. There was a contract
which was vetted at a highest level of law and cleared at a competent
level. Hence there is no question of changing the document."
"I also happen to be the original author of the Right to Information
Act. The transparency is an objective that all of us cherish. You can
apply an RTI as a procedure and you can obtain the necessary
documents," added Lalli.
Times Now had exposed how Lalli went against advice of Information &
Broadcasting Ministry to act in a way that favoured a UK-based
broadcast company in a Rs 246 crore deal. Income Tax officials on
October 22 claimed that the Rs 246 crore CWG broadcasting contract was
given to London-based SIS Live despite of its dubious legal status.
The documents in TIMES NOW'S possession shows that the I&B ministry
told Lalli to take Finance Department advise before going ahead with
any contracts.
The letter written by Secretary, I&B, to BS Lalli even mentions
earlier cases where CVC had objected to contracts. B S Lalli has
failed to explain why he defied Finance Department advise despite
warning. Lalli has told Times Now that the deal with UK company was
'collective decision'.
The deal with the UK company to the tune of Rs 247 crore to broadcast
CWG is under scanner for possible tax evasion.
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