PM, Chidambaram were aware of decisions on 2G: Raja

Former telecom minister A Raja, who is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, today claimed that prime minister Manmohan Singh and the then finance minister P Chidambaram were fully informed of all decisions related to the release of 2G spectrum, and that he alone could not be blamed in the corruption-related case.

"Where is the crime? Where is the conspiracy? Telenor buying stake in Unitech Wireless and Etisalat buying a stake in DB Realty was totally legal as per corporate law. The finance minister approved the sale in the presence of the PM. Let the prime minister deny it," NDTV quoted Raja as telling the special CBI court.

He added that what telecom companies did after they were awarded the spectrum was not in his domain.

Further claiming that he had done no wrong, Raja instead blamed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, saying he was only following the policies of his predecessors.

Raja pleaded before special CBI judge O P Saini that there was nothing wrong with his decision to not auction the 2G spectrum as he had only implemented what he had inherited from the earlier government.

Senior advocate Sushil Kumar, appearing for Raja said if Raja was being prosecuted for following a particular policy, then all telecom ministers since 1993 were liable for prosecution as they too had followed the same policy.