Turning the heat on former Telecom Minister A. Raja in the multi-crore 2G spectrum scam, the CBI on Wednesday carried out searches at his residences in Delhi and Chennai besides carrying out raids at the premises of four Telecom officials, including his personal secretary R.K. Chandolia.
A team of about 80 CBI sleuths began the operations in the wee hours of Wednesday in Delhi and Chennai at the residences of 47-year-old Raja and the other officials.
Mr. Raja was forced to resign as minister on November 14 in the wake of CAG’s report that the rates at which 2G spectrum was allotted resulted in a possible loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore.
Besides being accused of undervaluing 2G spectrum, Mr. Raja has also been held responsible for circumventing the rules to favour companies that did not meet the eligibility criteria for getting spectrum licences.
Coming out in support of Raja, his party, DMK, said, “He is our party member. We will stand by him”. “Let CBI do its duty. Let them come out with their findings. We will see.” party spokesperson T K S Elangovan said.
Raids were also carried out at the residences of former Telecom Secretary Siddarth Behura, Chandolia, Member Telecom Commission K. Sridhar and Deputy Director General in the Department of Telecom A.K. Srivastava, CBI sources said.
CBI to question Raja: sources
Agency sources said Mr. Raja was all set to be questioned by it. Mr. Raja has been maintaining that he was ready for being quizzed by the CBI any time.
The CBI action comes close on the heels of the Supreme Court coming down heavily on the CBI on November 22 for failing to question Mr. Raja and the Telecom Secretary in connection with the scam, saying it was “beating around the bush“.
The residence of Behura, who became Telecom Secretary on January 1, 2008, was also searched. He was also asked questions about the licensing procedures.
Behura told CBI that licenses were handed over on January 10, 2008 and that the decision had already been taken, a statement he made to Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Tuesday as well.
The questioning of Mr. Raja comes within days of the CBI informing the Supreme Court that it had transcribed nearly 6,000 telephone calls involving corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, Mr. Raja and others during which a purported mention about the allocation of spectrum was also made
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