NEW DELHI: In a self-published tell-all book, former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Pradip Baijal has alleged that the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned him of “harm” if he didn’t cooperate in the 2G case.Baijal, who was probed for several years for his role in the 2G scam and disinvestment of properties (he was disinvestment secretary when Laxmi Vilas Palace Hotel was sold to Bharat Hotels in 2002), claims UPA II ruined his reputation to divert corruption charges against its coalition government.Baijal writes that bureaucrats like him were “damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. “I had warned many in UPA II that all enquiries against me and others, would lead back to the PM, as he had indeed approved the actions of ministers and ministries in his government. This is precisely what was proved later. The actions of Dayanidhi Maran/(A) Raja/coal minister were approved by him, and he is equally culpable for all the losses computed by the CAG,” says Baijal in his book ‘The Complete Story of Indian Reforms: 2G, Power and Private Enterprise – A Practitioner’s Diary’, exclusively accessed by TOI.In a chapter titled ‘How the problems began’, Baijal claims that he expressed his misgivings in 2004 to the then PM over Dayanidhi Maran being appointed as telecom minister as it was a clear case of conflict of interest since Maran was a broadcaster and TRAI had been appointed as a broadcasting regulator in 2004. “…….the PM dismissed the concerns with the specious argument that there was no conflict of interest since TRAI was an independent regulator and I&B and telecom were separate ministries,” states Baijal, adding that “Singh appointed two committees in his office – one headed by him and the other a subordinate committee, headed by principal secretary to PM. Maran protested against these committees, and directed his officers not to attend them”.Baijal claims Maran told him that he was “Prime Minister, Telecom” and would take all decisions on telecom. “He warned that I would come to severe harm if I did not comply with his instructions. He was proved right, since I did face severe hardships later,” says Baijal.On Maran allegedly instructing Baijal at their first meeting after taking over not to submit the Unified Service Licensing recommendations of the previous NDA government, Baijal writes, “…The PM also told me to cooperate with my minister in the coalition government he headed, since non-cooperation could compromise his government”.In a separate chapter, Baijal refers to the alleged warning from Singh: “They (CBI) had warned me in each case (cases related to 2G scam and disinvestments) that I would be harmed if I didn’t cooperate. Incidentally, this was exactly what the eminent economist Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) had told me would happen if I did not cooperate in their scheme of things in the 2G case.”Baijal claims he didn’t listen to Singh and Maran on the report/recommendation (on Unified Licensing). While praising the NDA government for the measures it took to reform the telecom sector in 2003 in the book, he says the Unified License approved by the NDA government increased competition in India, and brought down mobile tariffs. “Had I agreed to their (Manmohan Singh and Maran) suggestions and not given the report, the 2003 special regime would have continued and UPA would have held NDA or TRAI (including me) responsible for the 2G scam. The PM would not have accepted his responsibility, just as he shirked responsibility in Coalgate scam,” adds Baijal.Baijal also talks about a meeting between industrialist Ratan Tata and Maran when he was minister of telecom. “In 2004, after a routine meeting, Ratan Tata told me that he was being threatened by Dayanidhi Maran that unless he accepted the merger of Tata Sky with Sun TV, he would ruin him. Ratan Tata refused to cooperate,” claims Baijal.Baijal also alleges that UPA government removed important files from TRAI and telecom ministry to hide its wrongdoings when scandal hit the headlines in 2009-2010.