Govt extends tenure of judge in 2G probe: Statement

NEW DELHI: India's telecom ministry said on Wednesday it had extended up to Jan. 31 the tenure of a former judge probing procedures followed in the country's allocation of telecoms licences and spectrum between 2001 and 2009.

The ministry did not give any reason in its statement for extending the investigator's tenure.

Former Supreme Court judge Shivaraj Patil is investigating if there were any shortcomings and lapses in the 2G licensing process, after a government audit said in November the award of licences and spectrum in 2007-08 could have deprived the government as much as $39 billion.

Telecoms Minister Kapil Sibal had said on Dec. 9 he would like to see the inquiry completed in a month.