Not PM but his key officers culpable, says judge

A Raja first informed the then PM on November 2, 2007, about the cut-off date of inviting applications for licences

The trial court verdict in the ‘telecom scam’, acquitting everyone indicted, had said then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not properly briefed by T K A Nair, and Pulok Chatterjee, two top officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Judge O P Saini’s observation, however, vindicates tainted telecom minister A Raja’s stand that the latter had written to Singh before a letter of intent was issued to companies which had applied for spectrum in September 2007 . The court says the PM had asked Nair and Chatterjee to examine Raja’s letter and prepare a note. 

“The file was placed before