A Raja is a 'liar', misrepresented facts to then PM: CBI to Court

Special public prosecutor said that Raja deliberately misled the then PM in his letter on policy matters

The CBI today alleged in a special court that ex-Telecom Minister A Raja was a "consummate liar" and evidence suggests that he had made false representation and misled then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of allocation of 2G spectrum licences.

Advancing final arguments in 2G spectrum allocation case, special public prosecutor Anand Grover said Raja deliberately misled the then PM in his letter on policy matters regarding concurrence of then solicitor general (SG) G E Vahanvati and then External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.

"Accused number one A Raja is a consummate liar. I am making this statement with respect to evidence available on record that he deliberately misrepresented the facts in order to favour accused companies.

"This (Raja) is a person, who makes a representation to the then Prime Minister through a letter saying he has taken concurrence of then solicitor general G E Vahanvati and then Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee regarding the policy issue, which is not the fact," Grover told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

Referring to the statement of a prosecution witness who was a former official of Department of Telecommunication, the prosecutor said Raja, in conspiracy with then Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, had even "forged" a press release about change in policy for grant of licences.

"The point was to give some legitimacy to something which did not have any basis," he said, adding that the press release was also sent to the then SG.

"In a press release, how can the opinion of the SG be sought? What was the need to send it to SG," Grover asked.

The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue on September 7.

Earlier, CBI had said that Raja had a "habit" of making false statements and had "deliberately" told incorrect facts to the then PM on policy issues and also deviated from the prescribed procedures.

Raja, who has denied all charges during his arguments earlier, and 16 others including DMK MP Kanimozhi, are facing trial in the case.