The CBI, which carried out searches at 14 places, including former telecom minister A. Raja’s residences in Delhi and Chennai on Wednesday, has now started scrutinising the documents, including a notebook with details of alleged hawala transactions, which were seized during the raids.
According to sources, the notebook, recovered during the raids at the residence of Mr Raja reportedly contains details of hawala transactions and money paid to some political figures in Tamil Nadu. Though the CBI, which is scrutinising the details is tight-lipped about it, sources disclosed that some of the details mentioned in the notebook include the amount allegedly paid to some political leaders in Tamil Nadu and also some scribes. Some of the jottings in the notebook are in Tamil. The agency is likely to question Mr Raja in connection with its probe into the scam very soon, sources added.
Besides, the CBI on Thursday questioned R.K. Chandolia, personal secretary to Mr Raja, in connection with the 2G spectrum scam. The agency officials also questioned former deputy director-general (access services) in the department of telecommunications (DoT), Mr A.K. Srivastava, in this connection. He was questioned for the fourth time by the agency in this connection.
The CBI officials questioned Mr Chandolia for nearly eight hours. The Enforcement Directorate, which is also probing the case, has already questioned Mr Chandolia. The CBI on Wednesday carried out searches at 14 places, including Mr Raja’s residences in Delhi and Chennai and also at the residences of Mr Chandolia, Mr Srivastava, former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behuria and member (telecom commission) K. Sridhar. The agency officials also recovered a large number of incriminating documents during the searches.
The CBI had registered a case saying there was large-scale corruption in the allocation of 2G radio spectrum licences last year.
Sources said that Mr Chandolia may be summoned for questioning again. They revealed that Mr Chandolia was asked questions related to the incriminating documents recovered by the agency officials during searches.
“Both, Mr Chandolia and Mr Srivastava, were also asked about their equations with the former Telecom minister and the private companies, who were in the race for 2G allotment. The agency officials were asked certain specific questions related to their bank transactions,” sources added. Mr Chandolia has already submitted his transaction details to the ED officials. The ED has already registered a case under the prevention of Money Laundering Act in March 2010 against unknown officials of the DoT and representatives of certain private companies in connection with the award of new telecom licenses in 2008.
Meanwhile, probe by the ED has reportedly revealed that the money trail in the scam has allegedly covered several countries which include — Mauritius, Guinea, Senegal and several other African countries.