A Delhi court on Thursday sent former telecom minister
A. Raja and two of his associates to a five-day
CBI custody in connection with the 2G
spectrum allocation scam.
Raja, former
telecom secretary Siddartha Behura and his former personal secretary R.K. Chandolia were produced at the Patiala House courts. The three were arrested on Wednesday by the CBI for their alleged role in the scam.
Raja, a DMK MP, had to resign as telecom minister in November last year after the CAG report on the 2G spectrum allocations indicted him and invited an onslaught on the UPA government from the BJP-led Opposition.
The CAG report said Raja had caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore by allocating 2G spectrum to telecom companies at throwaway prices (approximately Rs 9,000 crore).
Raja had earlier been questioned at least thrice by the CBI. The agency also raided his homes and offices in Delhi and Chennai as part of its probe into the 2G scam. Raja's aides were also raided.
Not just the CAG, even the Justice Shivraj Patil Committee appointed by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal slammed Raja. The committee's report said Raja and some officials of the Department of Telecom committed procedural lapses in the 2G spectrum allocations.
Raja, however, has maintained that he acted as per existing laws and kept the prime minister informed about all decisions.
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