The Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G scam on Wednesday sought original files from the Telecom department on the Aircel-Maxis deal over which former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran is facing a CBI investigation.

Maran is accused of arm-twisting Aircel’s promoter Shivashankaran to sell his company’s stakes to Maxis and influencing changes in Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on spectrum pricing.

The JPC decided to go deep into the deal since its members were not convinced by the deposition of TRAI chairman JS Sarma, who worked as Telecom Secretary during Dayanidhi Maran’s tenure.

Sarma’s name also figured in the CBI FIR against Maran. Sarma sat on Shivashankaran’s applications for grant of licenses and spectrum for new circles for more than two years, allegedly on the directions of Maran.

Addressing the media after the meeting on Wednesday, JPC chairman PC Chacko said the panel may also seek a report from CBI on the undue delay by DoT in taking decisions on the application of Aircel for licenses and spectrum.

“We will also seek information from the CBI after verifying the original files from DoT on this matter,” Chacko said. “On change of ToR, Sarma told us that as the decision was taken at the highest level involving Prime Minister and Minister (Maran), he did not have any say in the matter,” Chacko said. Sarma was grilled by members of the panel for two hours on Wednesday.

During his tenure, Maran got exclusive power for the DoT to decide on spectrum pricing by objecting to the role of the GoM in the matter. As per the Cabinet decision of October 2003, the pricing should have been derived by DoT in consultation with the Finance Ministry. The Finance Ministry, during Chidambaram’s tenure, initially objected to Maran’s move but gave in after the Prime Minister agreed to Maran’s proposal.

In its report, the CAG questioned the PM’s decision and pointed out that a Cabinet decision should have been only reversed by another Cabinet decision.  In its next meeting on March 2, the JPC would discuss the “impact and implications” of the Supreme Court verdict cancelling 122 telecom licenses issued by now-jailed former Telecom Minister A Raja. “We have asked Telecom Secretary to brief the committee on the apex court verdict,” Chacko said.