How BSNL ‘Forgot’ to Bill Reliance ₹1,757 Crore — Is This India’s Quietest Scam?

It sounds like something out of a corporate thriller, but this is very real: Reliance Jio allegedly benefited from a massive ₹1,757 crore billing oversight by BSNL—and the public is only now waking up to this shocking lapse. According to a recent CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) report, this financial fiasco went unchecked for nearly a decade, all because BSNL “forgot” to bill Reliance Jio.

So why is no one talking about it? And what really happened? Let’s dive deep into this alleged scam that’s quietly shaking up India’s telecom sector.

What the CAG Report Revealed

In its June 2025 audit, the CAG slammed BSNL for failing to raise bills amounting to ₹1,757.84 crore between 2013 and 2022—yes, almost a decade.

This amount was related to interconnect usage charges (IUC) and other infrastructure-sharing agreements between BSNL and Reliance Jio. Under normal circumstances, private telecom companies like Jio are supposed to pay BSNL for using its legacy infrastructure—especially for routing calls from Jio users to BSNL networks in remote or rural areas.

But the CAG found that BSNL did not raise bills, didn’t follow up, and in many cases, completely overlooked contractual terms.

“Failure to raise bills indicates a complete breakdown of internal financial controls,” the CAG noted in its report.

Wait, BSNL Just “Forgot”?

Yes. That’s the most jaw-dropping part.

According to the CAG report, there was no intentional fraud detected (yet)—just a massive bureaucratic failure on BSNL’s part.

How can a major state-run telecom company simply forget to bill nearly ₹1,800 crore? The answer lies in a cocktail of mismanagement, poor internal systems, and perhaps, political and corporate pressure.

Timeline of the Alleged Scam

Let’s piece together the timeline:

• 2013–2016: Reliance Jio begins trial rollouts, starts relying on BSNL towers and fiber backbone.

• 2016–2020: Jio explodes into the market with free calls and data, rapidly increasing interconnection traffic.

• 2020–2022: BSNL continues to serve Jio traffic without proper billing or collection.

• 2023: Internal audit flags discrepancies but is ignored.

• 2025: CAG releases damning report.

How Did This Go Unnoticed for So Long?

This is the burning question. The audit points out that BSNL’s finance and billing departments lacked coordination and accountability. There were no proper reconciliations between usage records and billing records.

But let’s be honest: Is it really possible for ₹1,800 crore to just “vanish” in a government PSU without someone benefiting from it or deliberately looking the other way?

Some whistleblowers and former BSNL executives suggest that:

• Top-level officials may have come under political or corporate pressure

• The rise of Reliance Jio was aggressively supported by the system

• BSNL was slowly being weakened by design

What Exactly Were the Services BSNL Provided to Jio?

The alleged unpaid services include:

1. Use of BSNL Towers and Optical Fiber Cable Network

2. Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC) for routing calls

3. Maintenance & Technical Support Services

In simpler terms, Jio used BSNL’s backbone to build its empire—and BSNL didn’t even charge them properly for it.

Is This Why BSNL Is Struggling Financially?

Absolutely. BSNL has been bleeding financially for years. While private telecom giants were gobbling up market share, BSNL was stuck in bureaucratic quicksand.

In 2024 alone, BSNL posted a net loss of over ₹9,000 crore, despite a government revival package worth ₹1.64 lakh crore announced earlier.

If the ₹1,757 crore had been billed and collected timely, BSNL’s losses would have been significantly reduced, and it might’ve been able to reinvest in tech upgrades or rural expansion.

Is This a Scam or a Strategic Sabotage?

The word “scam” implies deliberate deception. While no direct evidence of fraud has emerged (yet), the CAG’s language suggests gross negligence—which, in the world of public sector accounting, can often be worse than corruption.

Think about it:

• Would a private telecom operator ever “forget” to bill ₹1,800 crore?

• How come BSNL remembered to bill other telecoms but not Jio?

• Who benefitted from this lapse?

Many industry insiders now believe this could be part of a larger plan to weaken BSNL and boost private players—a theory that has been floating around since Jio entered the market.

Will There Be Any Investigation?

As of now, no official probe has been announced by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) or CVC (Central Vigilance Commission). However, the CAG report is a constitutional document that must be tabled in Parliament.

If enough public and political pressure builds up, a CBI or CVC probe could be on the table.

But let’s not forget: Reliance is no ordinary company. With deep political and corporate links, it remains to be seen whether this controversy will gain momentum—or be buried quietly like so many others.

Public Reactions: Silence or Suppression?

Surprisingly, this scandal hasn’t trended on social media the way one would expect. There are no primetime debates, no angry editorials, no public outrage.

Why?

• Reliance has immense media influence.

• BSNL is perceived as a sinking ship—so few care.

• The issue is technical and doesn’t evoke instant anger like bank scams or fuel price hikes.

But that’s exactly why we should care—because this silence is dangerous. It normalizes corporate misuse of public assets.

Why This Matters to Every Indian

This isn’t just about a ₹1,800 crore loss.

This is about:

• Transparency in public-sector operations.

• Accountability in corporate-government relationships.

• Fair competition in the telecom industry.

• Protection of taxpayers’ money.

BSNL was built using your money. Its infrastructure exists because the public paid for it. If it’s being handed out for free to private giants, you deserve to know.

What Needs to Happen Now?

Here’s what should happen next:

1. Full investigation into BSNL billing practices.

2. Audit of all interconnect agreements with Jio and other telcos.

3. Accountability for officials who failed to raise bills.

4. Immediate billing and recovery from Jio, with penalties.

5. Public pressure and media coverage to ensure this doesn’t fade away.

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Final Thoughts

The Indian telecom industry has already witnessed the downfall of Airtel, Vodafone Idea, MTNL, and others while Jio rose meteorically. This latest revelation raises even more questions:

• Is there a level playing field?

• Are state-run companies being hollowed out deliberately?

• Will the government act against a giant like Reliance?

Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: The truth is out now, and silence is not an option anymore.