2G scam: Raja names PM Manmohan Singh, Chidambaram in Delhi court

Former Telecom Minister A. Raja, who is presently lodged at Delhi's Tihar Jail, on Monday said the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram were in the loop on decisions related to the release of 2G spectrum, and that he alone could not be an accused in the corruption-related case.

"Where is the crime? Where is the conspiracy? Telenor buying a stake in Unitech Wireless and Etisalat buying a stake in DB Realty was totally legal as per the corporate law. The Finance Minister approved the sale in the presence of the PM. Let the Prime Minister deny it," NDTV quoted Raja, as telling the court.

"What the telecom companies do after I give them spectrum is not my domain," he added.

Stating that he had done nothing wrong, Raja also put the onus on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, saying he was merely following the policies pursued by his predecessors.

Senior Advocate Sushil Kumar, who appeared for Raja, opposing the framing of charges, said: "If policy pursued by me was wrong, then all former Telecom ministers since 1993 should also be in jail with me (Raja)."

A. Raja was forced to resign from the Union Cabinet last year after the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) faulted him for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2G spectrum, and added that the government had probably lost Rs.1.76 lakh crore in estimated revenue.

Monday, July 25, 2011 by deivam P Mohanraj · 0