January 09, 2025 12:21 pm (IST)
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A Raja 'misled' Manmohan on 2G spectrum allocation policy matters: CBI to court
New Delhi, Apr 15 (IBNS): In a significant revelation in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the special court that former telecom minister A Raja had "misled" former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on policy matters related to spectrum allocation, reports said on Wednesday.
Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover told the court that Raja had advanced the cut-off date to favour accused firms in allocation of 2G licences.
Grover said that Raja had granted spectrum to "ineligible" companies like Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd.
He said that that the first-come-first-serve (FCFS) policy was changed by Raja to favour some of the accused and the former telecom minister even rejected the proposal of the then Law Minister who had proposed that some of the key policy issues be referred to the Empowered Group of Ministers.
Referring to the letters written by Raja on Nov 2, 2007 to the then prime minister, Grover reportedly said, "He (Raja), infact, misled him (Manmohan Singh) on FCFS and cut-off date."
According to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the telecom scam, during his tenure as Union Telecom Minister in 2008, A Raja accepted bribes in exchange for handing out mobile network licenses and spectrum out of turn.
According to reports, Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its charge sheet, had alleged that two DMK MPs Raja and Kanimozhi were involved of receiving a 200-crore kickback received in exchange for spectrum licences.
Both Raja and Kanimozhi were jailed in the 2G spectrum scam case before being granted bail.
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