2G scam: CBI grills top Tata aides

Continuing its almost indiscriminate questioning of persons in any way connected with the 2G spectrum allocation scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday questioned seven people, including two key executives from the Tata group, the agency said.

The people questioned were R K Krishnakumar, a director at Tata Sons - the holding company for the diversified Tata group - and also chairman of Tata Realty Infrastructure Ltd; and its managing director Sanjay Ubale. 

Clearly rattled by a Supreme Court directive to question all persons connected with the allocation of 2G spectrum and licenses, the CBI also grilled Dilip Modi, managing director of Spice Mobility, and Arun Shourie, the telecom minister in the 2001-2005 NDA government.

Krishnakumar, said to be Ratan Tata's right hand man and a board member of flagship Tata Sons, was questioned for nearly six hours, the CBI was not ashamed to reveal. 

''The grillings are all very fine and widely published,'' commented an observer. ''But when will we see results or actual convictions? Clearly, the CBI is focusing on the people grilled, many of whom may well be innocent, to divert attention from any actual progress in its investigations.''

The sleuths quizzed Kumar, who heads Tata Realty, along with its managing director and chief executive officer Sanjay G Ubale, asking them to explain an alleged loan of Rs1,600 crore to Unitech in 2008 to procure 2G spectrum licences.