Raja grilled over 2G
The CBI on Friday questioned former telecom minister A. Raja in connection with its probe into the 2G spectrum scam. The agency is also expected to make some “significant arrests” in connection with its probe in a day or two.
CBI officials grilled Mr Raja for nearly nine hours at the agency headquarters. Sources said that he may be questioned again. According to sources, the agency asked questions related to his equations with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman Pradip Baijal. The agency has already questioned Ms Radia and Mr Baijal.
Talking to reporters, after his questioning by the CBI, Mr Raja said, “I gave full cooperation to the investigating agencies. I cannot say anything further because investigations are on.” Mr Raja, who had flown in from Chennai on Wednesday, appeared before the agency headquarters at 10.30 am after he was summoned under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
Sources said, “Raja was confronted with some documents recovered by the agency during its raids on Department of Telecommunication offices in October last year after
registering a case against unknown officers of DoT and telecom companies.”
He was reportedly asked by the CBI officials to give specific reasons for not referring the 2G spectrum issue to the group of ministers (GoM) by the DoT in 2007. It may be recalled that Mr Raja wrote to PM on November 2, 2007 rejecting the law minister’s advice to place the matter before the GoM, terming it “out of context”.
“The former telecom minister was also asked about the reasons for ignoring the letter written by the then finance secretary to the secretary, DoT, in 2007. On November 22, 2007, the finance secretary wrote to the secretary, DoT, expressing serious reservation on determination of 2G licence fee at 2001 rates,” sources said.
The CBI recently conducted searches at the office and residential premises of Ms Radia, Mr Baijal and several Chennai-based companies in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.
The former telecom minister was also asked about his connections with two alleged hawala operators. The CBI had also conducted searches at the residential premises of the two hawala operators in Delhi. The Enforcement Directorate, which is also probing the 2G scam, may question Mr Raja very soon, sources said.
Post new comment