Sources in the JPC said that panel Chairman P C Chacko is set to tell Raja that instead of appearing before JPC as a witness, he can submit a "rebuttal note" on the statement made by Attorney General G E Vahanvati before the Committee that the controversial press note regarding 2G licences was changed at the last minute by the former telecom minister in 2008 with a different pen.
On August 29, CBI had filed the charge sheet in the case against Dayanidhi, Kalanithi and six others, including four firms.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said any move to regulate social networking sites should be made after taking the view of Parliament but maintained that material which would hurt religious sentiments or is defamatory should be checked.
Noted personalities like member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Shobhaa De and Shekhar Kapur joined others in expressing their displeasure over Sibal's statement on Tuesday on moves to eliminate offensive content from Internet platforms.
The government will conduct a spectrum auction this year, which will facilitate the roll-out of 5G services by private telecom operators during the financial year 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday. "Spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022 to facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services within 2022-23 by private telecom providers," Sitharaman said. She said the telecommunications sector in general and 5G, in particular, can enable growth and offer job opportunities.
Backing his party colleague A Raja, prime accused in 2G spectrum scam, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Tuesday expressed happiness over his securing bail.
The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on former telecom minister A Raja for 'bypassing' and even 'overruling' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's advice to defer the allocation of 2G spectrum by a few days.
Tainted former Telecom minister A Raja and Kanimozhi, daughter of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Karunanidhi, who featured prominently in the taped conversations that corporate lobbyist Niira Radia had are being relieved from the DMK's organisational positions in the wake of allegations on 2G corruption and their frequent conversations and "unauthorised claims " on the DMK's participation in Union Cabinet in 2009.
Sadiq Batcha, a key aide of former telecom minister A Raja, is said to have committed suicide at his residence in Chennai on Wednesday.
Since Dr Singh did not explicitly tell A Raja to stop, the minister sped down his chosen road, says T V R Shenoy.
Former telecom minister A Raja, who is an accused in the 2G spectrum scam, has sought Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar's permission to depose before the Joint Parliamentary Committee, probing the case, and render his side of the argument.
The apex court had on December 4 last year, reserved the verdict after hearing counsel for corporate honchos and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
He said TRAI recommendations on 2G spectrum allocation were currently being reviewed by the Union finance minister and the Prime Minister's Office.
In the backdrop of the Supreme Court's remarks on delay by the prime minister in acting on plea for sanction of prosecution of A Raja in 2G spectrum case, Congress on Wednesday said it was "wrong and unfair" to say Manmohan Singh has not taken action against the former telecom minister.
Kapil Sibal said the operators need to change their mindset by moving away from voice services to data.
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said the mobile phone operators must move from voice-based revenue model and customers should gradually be charged only for data services and not for making calls.
The drafting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee report on 2G scam could be delayed with key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam insisting on calling former Telecom Minister A Raja as a witness.
The CBI on Thursday conducted searches in the offices of the wireless planning cell, the department responsible for allocating spectrum, and the office of deputy director general (access services) at the ministry headquarters in New Delhi.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has decided to question K Kanimozhi, daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Karunanidhi and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, in connection with the 2G scam. The decision to summon Kanimozhi was taken soon after a special CBI court sent former telecom minister A Raja to Tihar Jail for 14 days in judicial custody.Sources in CBI confirmed that Kanimozhi would be asked to appear before the agency before March 1.
Throwing its weight behind former telecom minister A Raja, the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam on Thursday said his arrest does not prove his guilt in the 2G spectrum scam and accused opposition parties of targetting him to "malign" the party.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said the arrest of former telecom minister A Raja in the 2G Spectrum scam raised more questions than answers and alleged that it was a "purely political" decision keeping in mind Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday approached the Delhi high court seeking its directions to the prime minister to take a decision on granting sanction to prosecute Telecom Minister A Raja for his alleged involvement in 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja had "misled" then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding policy of first-come-first-served which was to be followed for allocation of 2G spectrum, Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday told a special court.
After registering the case, the agency carried out searches at the premises of Maran brothers in Delhi and Chennai.
Jayalalithaa had first made an offer of support to the UPA on November 11, 2010, prior to the removal of A Raja as Union Telecom Minister. On Monday, she told TIMES NOW that the November 2010 offer was a onetime offer and that there was no question of working with the Congress at present. By describing her offer as a onetime offer, Ms Jayalalithaa has put an end to talk about a political realignment with the Congress.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja's aide Sadiq Batcha was found hanging at his Chennai residence on Wednesday, police sources said.
Chiefs of the Central Bureau of InvestigationEnforcement, Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate have been called by the Central Vigilance Commission to give a detailed update on their probe in the 2G case and discuss the way forward for investigations.
Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said action will be taken against former telecom minister A Raja if he was found guilty in the 2G Spectrum scam.
In further embarrassment to former telecom minister A Raja, the Madras high court on Tuesday suspended from the bar a top lawyer who was allegedly involved in an attempt to influence a judge taking the name of the minister.A division bench comprising Justice F M Ibrahim Khalifulla and Justice M M Sundaresh, said the status of R K Chandramohan, a member and subsequently the chairman of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pondichery, shall stand suspended forthwith.
Former telecom minister and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam Member of Parliament A Raja is set to approach the Central Bureau of Investigation court to seek permission to attend the Budget Session of Parliament.On Wednesday, Raja received a letter from President Pratibha Patil convening the Lok Sabha from March 12, 2012.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday demanded sacking of Telecom Minister A Raja alleging that the 3G spectrum auction "convincingly" proved his involvement in corrupt practices in the sale of 2G spectrum.
The DoT issued the information memorandum last week, saying auction would start on January 14 and for this to happen, the blocks of spectrum to be auctioned must be identified latest by the first week of December.
The apex court also said the CAG report on the 2G spectrum allocation placed in Parliament was 'revealing.'
The government on Tuesday tabled in Parliament the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report on 2G spectrum allocation, whose reported extracts have created a political storm and led to the resignation of Telecom Minister A Raja.
Mamata launched the 'Jionet' brand Wi-Fi service.
Subbarao, who was the Finance Secretary from April 2007 to September 2008, is a key witness in the case in which former Telecom Minister A Raja and others are facing trial.
We have not paid Rs 20 crore as bribe to former telecom minister A Raja, says Ratan Tata.
Just a few weeks ago, Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw did some tough talking with the senior managers of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, the ailing state-owned telecom service provider. The message was clear: They had to perform, quit by taking the voluntary retirement package or be compulsorily retired from service. The terse message from an otherwise polite and soft-spoken minister came just days after he announced a second and bigger package of Rs 1.64 trillion as part of a four-year turnaround plan for BSNL.
A day after welcoming the decision to increase competition in the long-distance telephony by cutting levies, integrated telecom major Bharti on Friday said it will take up the issue of "level-playing" field vis-à-vis new players with the government.
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