Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli Suspended

President signs the order for the suspension on allegations of giving the CWG broadcast contract to a UK-based firm SIS Live.

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | December 22, 2010

President Pratibha Patil has ordered the suspension of Prasar Bharti's controversial CEO B S Lalli, who is in the eye of a storm facing allegations of irregularities in the country's largest public broadcaster.

The order for the suspension has been signed by Patil. The Presidential action came after the Prime Minister's Office(PMO) forwarded to Patil the letter by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry recommending the suspension of 63-year-old Lalli, a 1971-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.

According to the Prasar Bharati Act, the Chairman or a Member of PB can only be removed by an order of the President on the ground of misbehaviour after the Supreme Court holds an inquiry following a reference to it.

The allegations against Lalli included the controversial decision to give the contract for broadcast of recently concluded Commonwealth Games to a UK-based firm SIS Live.

The ministry's move recommending his suspension came a week after President Patil gave her assent to a Supreme Court inquiry into the alleged irregularities in Prasar Bharati.

Lalli, who assumed the CEO's post in December 2006, was indicted by the Central Vigilance Commission which accused him of breach of Parliamentary privilege, giving undue favours to some broadcast companies and financial mismanagement.

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