Former Telecom Minister A Raja today questioned in a court the testimony of controversial former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia accusing him of granting 2G licences to Swan Telecom Private Limited, alleged to be an ineligible firm.
Raja deposed before the court that he had approved the grant of licences to Swan Telecom Private Limited after its documents were "examined and proposed" by the Department of Telecom.
Raja, while recording his statement in the case, said he was not aware as to how Radia, a CBI witness in the case, had deposed before the court that Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd had got the spectrum for Delhi service area.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini posed a question to Raja that it was in evidence against him that "as per prosecution witness Radia, Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd, an ineligible company, and Reliance Communications Ltd had got the spectrum in Delhi service area. What do you have to say?."
To this, Raja replied, "I had approved the grant of licences to any company only after the same had been examined and proposed by the department. I am not aware as to on what basis PW 126 (Radia) has deposed on this issue."
The court asked Raja what he has to say on Radia identifying her as well as his voice in the transcripts of recorded conversations which also included the voices of her colleague Rohit Dubey, Raja's private secretary R K Chandolia and DMK MP Kanimozhi.
Raja, however, answered, "since the alleged conversations have not been tendered in evidence in accordance with law, I am unable to answer this question."
Raja also said he had met Radia along with the then Tata chief, Ratan Tata, on a few occasions when he was Minister for Environment and Forests and Minister of Communication and Information Technology and he was aware that she was assisting Tatas on various matters including telecom.
He, however, said he was not aware whether she had hired professionals or whether she had any mandate frOMm Unitech for any business.
