Did not put any pressure on DoT officers, says Raja

Former telecom minister A. Raja Tuesday denied that he had put pressure on department of telecommunications (DoT) officers to process applications seeking 2G spectrum licences and issue letters of intent (LoIs) in simultaneous manner.

Testifying as a defence witness in the 2G case, Raja told Central Bureau of Investigation Special Judge O.P. Saini that there was not a single occasion that there was a disagreement amongst the officers either in the note sheet or in the discussions when the decision of simultaneous issuance was taken and department secretary and co-accused Sidharath Behura joined in January 2008, whereas this decision was taken way back in October 2007.

Raja said: "It is wrong to suggest that DoT officials were not inclined to process the applications and issue LoIs in simultaneous manner."

"It is further wrong to suggest that I put pressure on the officers of DoT to process applications and issue LoIs in simultaneous manner through secretary (T) Sidharath Behura and my private secretary R.K. Chandolia," he said.

According to the CBI, Raja was biased while distributing 2G mobile airwaves and operating licences to telecom firms, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer. All the accused, including Raja, are out on bail.