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Government bats for Chidambaram on 2G New Delhi, December 10 Having been pushed back to the wall in the wake of the CBI court granting permission to Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy to appear as a witness in the 2G spectrum case, Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal, playing the fire fighter rejected all allegations against Chidambaram, finance minister at the time of Spectrum allocation, and alleged that elements in the NDA were trying to malign and defame him. Sibal strongly refuted accusations by Swamy that Chidambaram as finance minister had a role in fixing the entry fee for new players and, hence, should be prosecuted in the spectrum scam. Sibal said Chidambaram was being maligned by the Opposition, although he as finance minister had not played any role in issuing letter of intents (LoI) to new players or fixing the entry fee at Rs.1,650 crore. The Telecom Minister said Chidambaram discharged his duties as the then finance minister with integrity. "Chidambaram is a valued colleague and has discharged his responsibilities without fear and favour," said Sibal. He asserted that the then Telecom Minister A Raja did not hold any meeting with Chidambaram prior to the issuance of the Letter of Intent (LoI) to telecom operators (2G spectrum allocation) on January 10, 2008. "In fact, the record will show that the Ministry of Finance had no knowledge that the LoIs would be issued on January 10, 2008," Sibal said. "It is preposterous to suggest that P.Chidamabaram had any role in fixing the entry fee or issuing the LoIs," Sibal told reporters here adding that Chidambaram had, in fact, recommended for an increase in entry fee, which was not agreed by A.Raja. Swamy has sought to make Chidambaram a party in the spectrum case, saying the decision on spectrum pricing was taken in 2008 jointly by him and then Telecom Minister Raja, who is lodged in Tihar Jail since February 2.A special CBI court has allowed Swamy to again depose before it as a witness to prove his claim of the home minister's alleged complicity in the spectrum scam. Swamy claims that the witnesses' testimonies will reveal crucial information that will implicate Chidambaram in the 2G scam. However, the Special CBI Court's approval came with a caveat that Swamy would have to prove the merits of his case before the court takes a view on ordering a probe into the home minister's alleged involvement. A statement issued by CBI said the court had permitted Swamy to record his statement on December 17 and justify the need to examine two witnesses in connection with his petition in the 2G Spectrum Case. The court order does not give him the go-ahead to examine the witnesses. "Complainant Dr Subramanian Swamy is permitted to recall himself as CW1 (complainant witness one) for leading further evidence. However, other witnesses as mentioned in the list of witnesses field with the application, shall be allowed to be summoned only after relevance of their testimony is explained by the complainant," Special CBI judge OP Saini had said in the order. Sibal, on the other, had asserted that the CBI had found nothing wrong with Chidambaram's conduct during his tenure as finance minister. "Therefore, any attempt by the Opposition to foist any culpability on P.Chidambaram is not only irresponsible but is yet another desperate attempt to make the institution of parliamentary democracy disfunctional," Sibal said. "People in NDA are trying to malign and defame P Chidambaram. We reject all allegations against him in the 2G scam. Chidambaram is a valued colleague. He discharged his duties without any fear or favour," the minister said. Sibalspeak
He discharged his duties as the then finance minister with integrity A Raja did not hold any meeting with Chidambaram prior to the issuance of LoI The record will show that the Ministry of Finance had no knowledge that the LoIs would be issued It is preposterous to suggest that P.Chidamabaram had any role in fixing the entry fee or issuing the LoIs Swamy’s contention
Swamy has sought to make Chidambaram a party in the spectrum case, saying the decision on spectrum pricing was taken in 2008 jointly by him and the then Telecom Minister Raja, who is lodged in Tihar Jail since February 2
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PC had not played any role in issuing letter of intents (LoI) to new players 