Raja favoured Swan Telecom: CBI

'The former telecom minister had "arbitrarily" subverted procedures while giving approvals for dual technology licences.'

CHENNAI : 22-08-2015 : Former Union Minster for Telecom A Raja adressing the media persons in Chennai. Photo: K.V. Srinviasan

Former Telecom Minister A. Raja had “arbitrarily” subverted procedures while giving approvals for dual technology licences to favour accused Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL), the Cenral Bureau of Investigation on Monday claimed in a special court.

During the final arguments in 2G spectrum allocation case, special public prosecutor Anand Grover said that Raja had not evolved any procedure which was to be followed while dealing with pending applications for dual technology, despite the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Telecom Commission insisting on it.

“No procedure was evolved to allocate dual technology licence. A Raja subverted the procedures. Everybody else was saying that evolve a procedure, but Raja deliberately ignored them,” Grover told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

“Without evolving any procedure, Raja gave approval to grant dual technology,” he said, asking that “a minister can approve it, but where was the procedure“.

'Raja acted arbitrarily'

He further argued that “the entire process has to be fair. It was the government, so the process must be fair.

Raja

There was no public announcement about it. Raja approved it arbitrarily to favour certain applicants.”

Grover said that STPL was “ultimately favoured” in the entire process.

“No procedure was evolved by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Everybody, from TRAI to Telecom Commission, was saying that a procedure should be evolved.

There was no public announcement,” he said.

“Without making it public, you are parting with the property of the state. This was done to favour certain people,” he said during the arguments which would continue tomorrow.

In its charge sheet, the agency has alleged that Tata Tele Services Ltd and Spice Communications, which were having priority over STPL in terms of the dual technology approvals, were “unreasonably deprived” of the allocation of spectrum for Delhi circle.

Raja, STPL and its promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and 13 others are facing trial in the case. Raja and other co-accused have denied the allegations levelled against them by the CBI.