The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it is willing to take over the probe into the mysterious death of Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of 2G spectrum case accused and former telecom minister A Raja.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed a two-day extension to the Central Bureau of investigation to file on April 2 its charge sheet against former telecom minister A Raja and others in the 2G spectrum allocation case even as the agency said it was readying an 80,000-page document for submission.
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has called leading industrialists, including Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani, and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia to appear before the panel in connection with the 2G spectrum scam which it is probing.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi's daughter and party member of Parliament Kanimozhi says she will "stand and fight" even if the Central Bureau of Investigation names her in the 2G spectrum scam chargesheet, which is expected to be filed soon.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the government to respond to the CAG report that points towards large-scale irregularities and favouritism allegedly by Telecom Minister A Raja in the Rs 70,000-crore (Rs 700 billion) 2G spectrum allocation scam in 2008.
Loop is one of the operators which have been named along with others in the entire case as it was awarded licence in 2008 by former Telecom Minister A Raja.
Stating that the Centre's focus is on promoting the country's IT sector, he pointed out that this move follows the rising import of electronic as well as IT items, including software and hardware, which is expected to reach $292 billion by 2020.
On September 13, the Supreme Court issued notices to Telecom Minister A Raja and the CBI following a petition filed by two activist groups and senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta which alleges that the 2G spectrum allocation cost the exchequer a loss of Rs 70,000 crore. Guha Thakurta explains why he filed the petition.
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin is in New Delhi on Wednesday and is expected to visit colleague and former Telecom Minister A Raja in the Tihar jail.
Even as the United Progressive Alliance government battles protests by Opposition BJP over the selection of Telecom Secretary PJ Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner, it has now been stung by one of its allies, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is reportedly upset over the lack of courtesy extended by the government on the appointment.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi is likely to visit former telecom minister A Raja inside the Tihar jail early next week.
DB Reality and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa was on Friday sent to Tihar Jail by court and remain in under judicial custody till March 3.
The developments came as the CBI custody of Raja, who was arrested by the investigating agency on February 2, ended on Thursday.
The Sam Pitroda Committee, set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to devise methods to revive BSNL, has recommended rationalisation of 300,000 staff of BSNL to stem human resource costs.
The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Wednesday allowed two days transit remand of Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa by a Mumbai court to take him to Delhi and confront him with former Telecom Minister A Raja, who is also in the agency's custody in connection with the 2G spectrum case.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has put the Manmohan Singh government in the dock with the party standing by former telecom minister A Raja who was arrested on Tuesday and making it clear that just because a person is arrested, it does not mean he is guilty.
Former telecom minister A Raja, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday in connection with the 2G spectrum scam, will be produced before the CBI court at Patiala house on Thursday afternoon.Two of Raja's key aides -- S Behura and R K Chandolia -- were also arrested by the CBI on Wednesday. According to CBI officials, the agency has enough evidence against Raja and others in the spectrum scandal. The CBI is expected to seek custody of Raja.
The court dismissed the plea of Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy seeking its direction to the prime minister to decide on granting sanction against his Cabinet colleague Raja on a complaint pending before the PMO for the last two years.
It is pertinent to mention that the ministry of defence had agreed to vacate the spectrum only during middle of this year.
Special Judge O P Saini, hearing the 2G spectrum scam, has set a record of sorts with an unwieldy sentence running into 29 pages in the order he passed on October 22, framing charges against former Telecom Minister A Raja and 16 others.
The government on Wednesday said radio wave auctions for third generation mobile phone services, or 3G, will be completed by end of March.
Telecom Minister A Raja said on Friday that he has met Home Minister P Chidambaram over the issue of import of telecom equipment, especially from China, and hoped the issue would be resolved "in a couple of weeks".
Former Telecom Minister A Raja on Friday appeared before the CBI for questioning in the Rs 22,000 crore 2G spectrum scam, over a year after the agency registered a case in this connection.
Former telecom minister A Raja will be questioned by Central Bureau of Investigation within next two days in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum that resulted in a loss of at least Rs 22,000 crore to the exchequer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday sent notices to former telecom minister A Raja and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia asking them to appear before the agency for questioning while grilling former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chief Pradip Baijal in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.
In an embarrassment to former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, Supreme Court Judge H L Gokhale on Tuesday contradicted his claim that he was not aware that it was former Union Telecom Minister A Raja, who had tried to influence a Madras high court judge in a criminal case.
Central Bureau of Investigation officials raided former Telecom Minister A Raja's houses in Chennai and Delhi. The CBI also raided the houses of four telecom officials. The raids are being carried out at the residences of former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's personal secretary R K Chandolia, member telecom K Sridhar and deputy director general, Department of Telecom, A K Srivastava.
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.
The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on a plea seeking a direction to the Prime Minister for grant of sanction for prosecution of former Telecom Minister A Raja in the 2G Spectrum case.
Corporate lobbyist Nira Radia was on Wednesday questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for her firm's alleged role in the 2G spectrum allocation case.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja's investment in shares and fixed deposits have increased by nearly 170 per cent from Rs 8.52 lakh to a little over Rs 23 lakh during one year.
"I want to reiterate that I went as per the telecom policy of 1999, as per recommendations of Telecom and Regulatory Authority of India and vision contemplated by the government. If there have been any procedural lapses. Let it be investigated. No problem at all," Raja told reporters here two days after he unceremoniously put in his papers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's core group decided that it will demand the resignation of Telecom Minister A Raja in the wake of his reported indictment by CAG in 2G spectrum allocation and reiterate its demand for JPC probe into the issue as also CWG and Adarsh housing society scams.
Telecom Minister A Raja has been indicted by the CAG in the 2G spectrum scam, which resulted in a loss of about Rs 1,70,000 crore.
Terming the charges with regard to allocation of spectrum in 2008 against him as baseless, Telecom Minister A Raja on Monday said the allegations in no way have affected the day-to-day work.
Alleging that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance regime had distributed for free, 250 mega hertz of spectrum among the telecom operators, he told reporters, "The scam during the NDA regime could be worth much more than Rs 1.6 lakh crore."
The solicitor general and the TDSAT have both okayed Raja's moves.
Nine mobile telephony firms including Bharti, Vodafone, Reliance and Tatas are in the fray for 3-4 slots of 3G spectrum that allows subscribers to download hi-speed data and stream videos on mobile telephones. Radio waves are being auctioned across 22 circles.
Reports of alleged influence by some corporate lobbies on allocation of 2G spectrum, was on Wednesday vociferously raised in both House of Parliament, leading to adjournment of Rajya Sabha twice.
The Congress on Friday indicated that it will not seek any action against Telecom Minister A Raja after raids on the office of Department of Telecom (DoT) in connection with alleged irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum to new players, saying the FIR only named officials.
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