The Reliance Communications Chairman, Mr Anil Ambani, today appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which quizzed him for over two hours in connection with alleged irregularities in 2G spectrum allocation.

Mr Ambani, also a former Rajya Sabha member, reached Parliament premises around noon when the PAC was questioning the Etisalat DB Telecom CEO, Mr Atul Jhamb.

The members asked Mr Ambani to join them just after 1:00 PM and discussions with him continued for nearly two hours.

He was asked questions on issues related to the 2G spectrum allocation as also 3G auction that was held last year. “He was very free and frank,” said a PAC member.

Another member said Mr Ambani referred to the CBI chargesheet in the 2G allocation case and expressed his inability to speak in detail as the matter was sub-judice.

He is understood to have justified the ‘first come, first served’ policy in the allocation of 2G spectrum and favoured the auction route for 3G spectrum allocation.

Mr Jhamb, who appeared before the PAC along with his senior colleagues from Etisalat DB, was quizzed by the members for over two hours. The company officials told the committee that Mr Shahid Balwa, who is in CBI custody in connection with the 2G scam, was a partner.

The S-Tel CEO, Mr Shamik Das, was also questioned by the PAC while the Unitech Wireless Managing Director, Mr Sigve Brekke, is to appear before it.

On Monday, the PAC had quizzed the Tata Sons Chairman, Mr Ratan Tata, and corporate lobbyist Ms Niira Radia in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

The panel had quizzed Ms Radia, Chairperson of Vaishnavi Corporate Communications (VCC), for two hours and Mr Tata for three hours on issues related to the scam.

A Vaishnavi Corporate Communications statement later said that Ms Radia had extended her cooperation and offered clarification on all issues to the PAC.

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