With just a week left for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its investigation report in the Supreme Court, the investigative agency today arrested former communications minister A Raja at its headquarters here.
CBI also arrested two of his aides — the then telecom secretary Siddharth Behura and Raja’s then personal secretary, R K Chandolia — for criminal conspiracy and abuse of official position in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
All the three accused will be produced in the Patiala House court tomorrow afternoon before Special CBI Judge O P Saini. Till then, they will remain in CBI’s custody, at its headquarters. The agency is planning to seek Raja’s remand for detailed questioning. It has also invited Enforcement Directorate officials for a joint probe.
“Based on the facts so far disclosed in the investigations into their role in the allocation of Letter of Intent and resultant Unified Access Services Licences and spectrum to certain companies ahead of others, CBI has today arrested the then telecom minister, the then telecom secretary and the then private secretary to the minister,” a CBI statement said.
Raja arrived at the CBI office today at 10:30 am, accompanied by his brother, A Kalia Perumal. His lawyer, V G Prakashan, was also present in the CBI office at the time of his arrest. CBI officials confirmed the arrests at 4 pm.
The investigating agency would now have to file a chargesheet against Raja and two of his aides within 60 days.
Before this, Raja had been called thrice for questioning by CBI, following raids at his official and residential premises in December.
CBI had earlier registered a case for criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against unknown DoT officials and unknown private persons and others on the allegation of conspiracy and abuse of official position in order to favour applicant companies in the processing and allocation of letters of intent for unified access service licences.
