It is not a normal practice that the CBI director meets members of political parties but on Friday he gave time to the five-member delegation led by BJP member of Parliament Prakash Javdekar.
Javdekar, accompanied with fellow MPs Maya Singh, Shivakumar Udasi and BJP office bearers Bhupendra Yadav and Jagat Prasad Nadda, presented to him records received through Right To Information replies and other evidences which allegedly indicate that Chidambaram had sanctioned the policy for sale of spectrum.
The delegation also demanded that the CBI should quantify the entire loss caused through the telecom spectrum allocation scam, which the Comptroller and Auditor General has put to be at around Rs 1.76 lakh crore.
"A Raja, the then telcommunications minister, is in jail and has been formally chargesheeted for conspiracy behind the loot and corruption of thousands of crore in the award of 2G licence and allocation of precious spectrum. However, it seems surprising that the CBI for reasons unknown has not investigated the role of P Chidambaram who was the then finance inister," the delegation said in its representation.
When asked whether they will approach the Supreme Court, Javdekar told reporters that they will see the action taken by the CBI on their representation and then take a call on future course of action. The BJP said the Cabinet, in 2003, had decided that Finance Ministry and Telecom Ministry "would settle" pricing and allocation of spectrum and both the ministries are "equally responsible" for any decision taken.
The BJP delegation alleged that "suspicion" against the then finance minister get all more significant as it is understood that he "disregarded" notes of senior officials recommending auction for spectrum.
Chidambaram on October 10, 2008 as finance minister took the position that allocation of spectrum be treated as "closed chapter", the leaders alleged. "We believe that all these are matters of record and any fair investigation would demonstrate the equal culpability of P Chidambaram," they said in the representation.
The BJP, quoting RTI reply received by it, alleged that Raja has communicated to Chidambaram on November 15, 2008 that allottees of spectrum were selling their licenses and stake at higher prices to second parties but he clarified that "the companies were acting as per corporate laws. It is clear the FM was consented of all the process, which was facilitating the scam, however despite knowledge, the then FM did not take any step to stop the scam rather he by act or ommission facilitate the scam," the representation said.
The delegation demanded investigation of the matter by the CBI and "interrogation" of Chidambaram for "proper and correct" investigation of the matter, the BJP said in the representation.
