2G scam: Raja again called for by CBI

Former Telecom Minister A Raja was today called for questioning by the CBI for the second consecutive day in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

The DMK leader was yesterday quizzed by the agency on the controversial preponement of dates for allocation of spectrum and alleged funding of some of the telecom companies by his kin.

47-year-old Raja was confronted with some documents recovered by the agency during its raids on Department of Telecom offices in October last year after registering a case against unknown officers of DoT and telecom companies.

Sources said that Raja would be confronted with some more questions and documents recovered from the computers seized during the raids conducted by the agency earlier at his premises.

Raja had yesterday said that he had cooperated with the CBI.

"I gave full cooperation to the investigating agencies. I can't say anything further because investigations are on," he had said.

CBI spokesperson and DIG Bineeta Thakur said Raja was "questioned in relation to the case registered into the allocation of unified access service licenses."

Raja, who had earlier expressed his inability to appear before the agency, was questioned at length on the circumstances leading to spectrum allocation which has been criticised severely by Central Vigilance Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

CBI also quizzed him on the tapped conversation he had with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia about allegedly favouring certain telecom companies, the sources said, adding some of the questions were also posed to him about alleged investments made by some of his kins in some telecom companies.

Raja was forced to resign on November 14 in the wake of the CAG report which held that the spectrum allocation at undervalued prices resulted in a notional loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.

He was also questioned on the issue of advancing dates for allocation of spectrum and on the role of his relatives in some of the companies which allegedly acted as a front for certain telecom firms which got spectrum between September 2007 and January 2008.

Raja got the telecom portfolio on May 18, 2007 and again got re-elected as a Member of the 15th Lok Sabha and continued as Telecom Minister from May 31, 2009 till November 14, this year before he tendered his resignation.