Former Telecom Minister A Raja today sought to rope in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then Finance Minister P Chidamabaram in the 2G case, telling a court the issue of sale of equity by spectrum licencees was discussed with them.
Defending himself against corruption charges in 2G scam, the 47-year-old DMK MP also submitted before Special CBI Judge O P Saini there was nothing wrong in his decision of not auctioning 2G spectrum and that he was merely following the policies pursued by his predecessors and the NDA government.
Senior Advocate Sushil Kumar appearing for Raja, now behind bars, said that when Home Minister Chidambaram was the Finance Minister he had told the Prime Minister that dilution of shares by the accused licencees to attract FDI did not amount to sale of licence.
Arguing that sale of equity was not sale of licence, Kumar said Raja cannot be accused of corruption in the controversial 2G spectrum allocation.
"The matter (about sale of equity by spectrum licencees) was discussed between the Prime Minister and the then Finance Minister (P Chidambaram).
"The then Finance Minister who is now Home Minister had said in front of the Prime Minister that dilution of shares does not amount to sale of 2G licence as per the corporate law," asserted Sushil, who even said "Let the Prime Minister deny this."
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Raja further said, "When sale of equity does not amount to sale of licence, there in no question of earning profit. How can (then) be corruption there in this regard?"
Kumar said if Raja is being prosecuted for following a certain policy then all Telecom ministers since 1993 are liable to be prosecuted and should be in jail along with him as they too followed the same policy.
"If policy pursued by me was wrong, then all former Telecom ministers since 1993 should also be in jail with me (Raja)," the counsel said while opposing framing of charges against Raja.