2G spectrum scam: Former telecom minister A Raja arrested

NEW DELHI: A Raja who as telecom minister had allegedly manipulated procedures in allocation of 2G spectrum that has dented UPA government's image, was on Wednesday arrested along with two officials by CBI, a week before it has to file its final investigation report in the Supreme Court.

Retired bureaucrat, Siddartha Behura, who was telecom secretary in 2008 when the controversial decision to give licenses was taken, and Raja's personal secretary R K Chandolia were also arrested with the former minister, all of whom were called to the CBI headquarters on Wednesday morning.

"Based on the facts disclosed so far during the investigations regarding their role in allocation of letter of intent and resultant unified access services licenses and spectrum to certain companies ahead of others, the CBI has today arrested the then telecom minister, the then telecom secretary, the then private secretary to the minister," a brief statement issued by the CBI said.

It recalled that it had earlier registered a case under various sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act against unknown officials of DoT, persons and companies on the allegation of conspiracy and abuse of official position in order to give pecuniary advantage or favour to the applicant companies in the processing and allocation of letters of intent for UAS licences and resultant spectrum allocation to launch telecom services.

Behura belonged to the IAS while Chandolia is still serving in the Indian Economic Service.

The arrest of 47-year-old Raja, the dalit face of DMK, a crucial ally of the Congress at the Centre, comes almost two months after his resignation as minister in the wake of a parliamentary storm over his continuance and Supreme court breathing down the government's neck on investigations in the scam.