2G scam: CBI recovers incriminating documents during searches

2G scam: CBI recovers incriminating documents during searches

The CBI has said it had seized "incriminating" documents during searches at 14 places, including former Telecom Minister A Raja's residence, in connection with its probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

According to CBI, the searches were conducted at the premises of Raja, his former personal secretary R K Chandolia, the then Secretary of Department of Telecommunication Siddhartha Behuria and the then Member, Telecom Commission, Department of Telecommunication K Sridhar.

The premises of the then Deputy Director General, Access Service Wing, Department of Telecommunication A K Srivastava and Managing Director of Chennai-based export firm (Greenhouse Exports) Sadiqui Batcha were also searched in ongoing investigation relating to irregularities in allotment of Unified Access Service (UAS) Licence, a CBI official said on Wednesday.

"Searches conducted so far at around 14 places have yielded recovery of incriminating documents," Deputy Inspector General and spokesperson of CBI Vineeta Thakur said, adding that "searches are still going on".

The CBI had earlier registered a case on 21^st October 2009 against unknown officials of Department of Telecommunication and unknown private persons or companies and others under Section of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

"It has been alleged that there had been serious irregularities in the award of Unified Access Services Licences to private companies".

"As per information received, there was criminal conspiracy between certain officials of DoT and private persons or companies and others in order to award licences to these companies by putting a cap on the number of applicants against recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and by awarding licences to private companies on first come first serve basis on the rates of 2001 without any competitive bidding," Thakur said.

Meanwhile, the CBI on Wednesday carried out searches at the residences of former Telecom Minister A Raja in Delhi and Chennai besides carrying out raids at the premises of four other Telecom officials, including his personal secretary R K Chandolia, in connection with the Rs 22,000 crore 2G spectrum scam.

A team of about 80 CBI sleuths began the operations in the wee hours in Delhi and Chennai at the residences of 47-year-old Raja and the other officials.

Raja was forced to resign as Minister on 14^th November in the wake of CAG's report that the rates at which 2G spectrum was allotted resulted in a possible loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

Besides being accused of undervaluing 2G spectrum, Raja has also been held responsible for circumventing the rules to favour companies that did not meet the eligibility criteria for getting spectrum licences.

Coming out in support of Raja, his party, DMK, said, "He is our party member. We will stand by him". "Let CBI do its duty. Let them come out with their findings. We will see." party spokesperson T K S Elangovan said.

Raids were also carried out at the residences of former Telecom Secretary Siddarth Behura, Chandolia, Member Telecom Commission K Sridhar and Deputy Director General in the Department of Telecom A K Srivastava, CBI sources said.

Agency sources said Raja was all set to be questioned by it. Raja has been maintaining that he was ready for being quizzed by the CBI any time.

The CBI action comes close on the heels of the Supreme Court coming down heavily on the CBI on 22^nd November for failing to question Raja and the Telecom Secretary in connection with the scam, saying it was "beating around the bush".

The residence of Behura, who became Telecom Secretary on 1^st January, 2008, was also searched. He was also asked questions about the licensing procedures.

Behura told CBI that licenses were handed over on 10^th January, 2008 and that the decision had already been taken, a statement he made to Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Tuesday as well.

The questioning of Raja comes within days after the CBI informing the Supreme Court that it had transcribed nearly 6,000 telephone calls involving corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, Raja and others during which a purported mention about the allocation of spectrum was also made.