2G: lid to come off Raja-Chidambaram correspondence

Home minister P Chidambaram is likely to get further embroiled in the 2G spectrum mess, as the special CBI court hearing the matter has accepted petitioner Subramaniam Swamy's plea that he should have access to the relevant correspondence between Chidambaram, then the finance minister, and former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja (now in jail) when the spectrum and licences were awarded in 2008.

Before adjourning further hearing to 3 December, special judge O P Saini directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to hand over all correspondence between Raja and Chidambaram on the share dilution issue to Swamy.

Swamy has alleged that Chidambaram was equally guilty with Raja in the 2G spectrum allocation scam since all decisions were taken by the two together. "Chidambaram and Raja decided everything together. So, if Raja is culpable, so is Chidambaram," he told the court. He added that the file with these letters was deliberately withheld from the court by the CBI.

The CBI is handling the case against Raja and 13 others accused of criminal conspiracy in the matter. The Supreme Court is monitoring the CBI's investigation, while the special court is handling the trial.

Two of the companies allegedly favoured by Raja - Swan and Unitech Wireless - diluted equity soon after they got mobile network licenses at allegedly throwaway prices. By bringing on board foreign partners, they made thousands of crores of rupees. The fact that foreign firms paid such huge amounts for their equity is seen as an indicator that the licenses had been deliberately under-valued by Raja.

Swamy, leader of the Janata Party, is one of the main petitioners in the telecom case.  He has also asked the CBI to formally investigate Chidambaram's role, but the Supreme Court has yet to take a decision on the matter.

"I found out that there was a file which CBI did not hand over to the Court. It implicates PC," Swamy wrote on Twitter, referring to Chidambaram.

Raja has argued in his defence that all his actions and policies were sanctioned by Chidambaram.