Sanction to probe ex-DD chief: Prasar Bharati washes its hands off

NEW DELHI: The Prasar Bharati Board has washed its hands off the decision to give CBI sanction for investigation of former Doordarshan chief Aruna Sharma citing lack of time and resources and has sent the prickly issue back to the I&B ministry.The PB Boardunanimously resolved that it could not spare the time and resources to considerthe issue which has now landed back in the I&B ministry's lap. The Boardsaid it did not have the time, manpower and resources to evaluate therecommendations made by the Shunglu committee and Sharma's voluminous responseto the charges.The Shunglu committee report made public on February 1 had named PB CEO B S Lalli and Sharma as responsible for causing a Rs 135 crore loss in the CWG broadcast deal. Both officers have been accused of working in cohorts and giving UK broadcast firm SIS Live and Zoom Communications undue advantage.In response to the report, PMO had on February 18 directedthe ministry to take appropriate action within two weeks. It was alsorecommended that the report be referred to the CBI. While permission to takeaction against Lalli was given on March 1, the ministry continues to drag itsfeet in Sharma's case even two months later. It had recently sent Sharma's caseto the Board for its recommendation. Sources said there wastremendous pressure to scuttle the CBI probe as it would weaken Lalli's case. APrasar Bharati source said, "No one wanted to take a call and the issue wasdiscussed for a few minutes before it was decided that the file should be sentback to the ministry."The move comes at a time when there is asection of the ministry and the Board that feels Sharma's case was "different"from Lalli's and that she was merely implementing the decisions made by Lalli.Lalli headed the host broadcaster management committee (HBMC) and any decisionmade by Sharma could be overruled by him. Sources said there was a distinctionbeing made between "illegal decisions" and "irregularities" and that Sharmacould be found responsible for the latter but not the former.Otherdecisions made by the Board included restoring the financial powers of the Boardfrom Rs 1 crore to Rs 20 crore to hasten implementation of projects. It was alsodecided that DD will launch 200 channels on its DTH platform by year-end throughthe public private partnership model and that these channels will be soldthrough e-auction.