2G: Key witness says he was not "tutored" for his deposition

A K Srivastava, a former Deputy Director General (AS) of Department of Telecom (DoT), told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that he had visited Patiala House courts here on September 1 this year and had met special public prosecutor U U Lalit for about an hour and they had a general discussion about the 2G case.

During his cross examination by advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for accused R K Chandolia, then private secretary of former Telecom Minister A Raja, Srivastava denied that he was "instructed" by Lalit to depose in a certain manner.

"Meeting with U U Lalit continued for about an hour in which there was a general discussion about this case. It is wrong to suggest that I was tutored to give evidence in a particular way. It is wrong to suggest that I was instructed in that meeting to volunteer information to undo the cross examination," he said.

Srivastava said that being the private secretary to the then minister, Chandolia used to give orders, "put pressure" on the officials and issued orders in the name of Raja.

When he was asked about a DoT note of September 24, 2007, he said it was initiated by him at the behest of Chandolia. He said that Chandolia's name was not mentioned in the note.

"It was not possible for me to think about the violation of the office procedure by not mentioning the name of R K Chandolia in the note as he was PS to the MOC&IT and used to give orders to us and put pressure on us," Srivastava said. (More)