In an unusual move, a BJP delegation on Friday met CBI Director A.P. Singh, demanding a probe into the alleged role of then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum scam.
It is not a normal practice that the CBI Director meets members of political parties but on Friday he met the five-member delegation led by party MP Prakash Javdekar.
Mr. Javdekar, accompanied with fellow MPs Maya Singh, Shivakumar Udasi and BJP office bearers Bhupendra Yadav and Jagat Prasad Nadda, submitted records received through RTI replies and other evidences which allegedly indicate that Mr. Chidambaram had sanctioned the policy for sale of spectrum.
The delegation also demanded that the CBI should quantify the entire loss caused through the telecom spectrum allocation scam which the Comptroller and Auditor General had pegged at around Rs.1.76 lakh crore.
“A. Raja, the then Telecommunications Minister, is in jail and has been formally chargesheeted for conspiracy behind the loot and corruption of thousands of crore in the award of 2G licence and allocation of precious spectrum.
“However, it seems surprising that the CBI for reasons unknown has not investigated the role of P. Chidambaram who was the then Finance Minister,” the delegation said in its representation.
When asked whether they would approach the Supreme Court, Mr. Javdekar told reporters that they would see what action the CBI takes on their representation and then take a call on the future course of action.
The BJP said the Cabinet, in 2003, had decided that Finance Ministry and Telecom Ministry “would settle” pricing and allocation of spectrum and both the ministries are “equally responsible” for any decision taken.
