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2G scam: Raja sent to Tihar for 14 days
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 17
After spending 15 days in the CBI remand, former communications minister A Raja was today sent to Tihar jail on a 14-day judicial custody as the investigating agency did not seek his custody any further.
A Raja on way to Patiala House court for hearing.
Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal |
Raja appeared defiant as he was taken out of the court and reiterated his innocence, which, he claimed, would be proved in coming months. The special CBI court, however, allowed Raja home-cooked food during his stay in the jail. He would also get to keep his reading glasses, books and medicines. Raja’s lawyer Ramesh Gupta had moved an application in this regard, which Special Judge OP Saini allowed. The CBI had arrested Raja on February 2 for his alleged involvement in the 2G scam, which, as per the FIR, caused a loss of Rs 22,000 crore to the exchequer. The Comptroller and Auditor General had estimated the loss at Rs 1.76 lakh crore and the CBI has also revised upwards its earlier estimates. Raja is suspected to have tweaked rules to favour a select few companies and sold off Spectrum at a rate way below the market price. Raja has, however, denied the charges and said he followed the policies which were already in
place.
2G Spectrum scam: CBI quizzes Essar Group CEO
New Delhi, February 17
Continuing with its probe into the 2G scam, the CBI today questioned Essar Group CEO Prashant Ruia in connection with the alleged role of the company with Loop Telecom, which got licences in 21 circles in January 2008.His questioning comes a day after ADAG Chairman Anil Ambani was called to the CBI office in connection with its probe into the 2G scam as the agency has to inform the Supreme Court by March 1 about the beneficiaries in the case. According to official sources, Ruia was quizzed about the alleged association of Essar with Loop Telecom, which came under scanner in the CBI case registered in October 2009. The Essar CEO was called amid allegations that Loop Telecom acted as a front company for Essar, which has nearly 33 per cent stake in Vodafone-Essar joint venture. If the allegation were found to be true, it would make Loop Telecom ineligible to get telecom licences. As per the guidelines, the threshold of cross holding is below 10 per cent. “Essar is in full compliance with the DoT licence norms and all other applicable laws. As and when any information is sought Essar will provide the same to the authorities,” an Essar spokesperson said. According to the CAG report, Shipping Stop Dot Com (India) Private Limited (later on changed to Loop Telecom Private Limited) submitted its applications for grant of the UAS licences for 21 service areas on September 3, 2007 to the DoT. However, the company changed the main object clauses in its Memorandum of Association (MOA) of the Article of Association (AOA) to include the telecom sector to meet the eligibility criteria only on September 28,
2007 only. — PTI
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