Ramarao had been summoned by the investigating agency at its Lok Nayak Bhavan office, New Delhi, yesterday morning. After interrogations, which lasted the entire day, the officials decided to put him under arrest. Ramarao has been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Senior CBI officials said the agency was not looking into all the telecom contracts, as reported in a section of the Press, but only a select few.
The CBI yesterday raided the Nehru Place and Masjid Moth offices of Himachal Futuristic Company Ltd (HFCL), whose vice-chairman Mahendra Nahata's residence had been searched on Thursday evening. The agency had sealed the HFCL offices on the same evening.
Another team of officials raided the Pitampura house and Karol Bagh office of Haryana Steel & Glass Ltd promoter Radhe Shyam Khemka, although he was not a supplier to the DoT.
The raids on Nahata and Khemka are said to have been conducted in view of their reported proximity to former communications minister Sukh Ram. Officials said "incriminating documents" were seized during yesterday's raids, which continued beyond dusk.
CBI director Joginder Singh told reporters that the leads that the agency gets will be pursued to take the case to its logical conclusion.
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The agency has also established that of the four lockers, whose keys were seized from the residence of Sukh Ram, two each were being operated by his wife and daughter. The four lockers are located at the R K Puram branch of Syndicate Bank.
Official sources said the lockers will be opened in the presence of Sukh Ram, when he returns, or before members of his family. A permission from the courts to force open the lockers will be taken only if the former minister did not return.
CBI sources yesterday said the agency had seized telecom and electronic equipment worth over Rs 1 crore from the Kaushambi residence of Sukh Ram. The nature of the equipment could not be ascertained.