2G: A Raja is in habit of making false statements, says CBI

The CBI today charged former Telecom Minister A Raja with misleading then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of allocation of 2G spectrum licences and having a "habit" of making false statements.
Advancing final arguments in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case before the special court, special public prosecutor Anand Grover said that Raja had "deliberately" told incorrect facts to the then Prime Minister on policy issues and had deviated from prescribed procedures.
"The Prime Minister, in his letter to Raja, had asked him to ensure fairness and transparency (in allocation of licence) and also to inform him before taking any decision.

"Raja wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and told him about the process. What he told the PM was contrary to the records...Raja made incorrect statements in the letter written to the PM. This was deliberate on Raja's part as he knew very well that what he is saying to the PM was incorrect," Grover told Special Judge O P Saini.
He further claimed that "Raja is in a habit of making false statements, even to the Prime Minister" and "with a stroke on pen" had changed the cut-off date for receiving applications from firms seeking 2G licences, in which out of 575 applicant companies, 408 applications were kept out of the race.

"Cut-off date for receiving applications was changed from October 10, 2007 to October 1, 2007 and then to October 1, 2007. Upto September 24, 2007, 167 applications were received in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and upto October 1, 2007, a total of 575 applications were received.

"So, virtually 408 applications were struck off by the stroke of a pen by Raja," Grover claimed, adding that the decision to change the cut-off date was taken by Raja to favour some firms.
The arguments remained inconclusive and would continue tomorrow.
Raja, who has denied all charges during his arguments, and 16 others, including DMK MP Kanimozhi, are facing trial in the case.