2G scam: CBI report to SC due today, but probe far from over

The Central Bureau of Investigation is due to give its status report on investigations into the 2G spectrum scam to the Supreme Court today.

In the last hearing the top court, which is monitoring the probe, had told the agency that it shouldn't be influenced by telecom minister Kapil Sibal's statement rubbishing the Comptroller & Auditor General's report pegging the estimated loss from the sale of 2G spectrum at Rs1.76 lakh crore.

Reports say that the agency may not be able to complete its entire probe into the scam by 31 March, as promised to the Supreme Court in September.

The CBI is currently focusing on interrogating former telecom minister A Raja, who was arrested eight days ago in connection with the scam which he is alleged to have masterminded.

The agency's custody of Raja ends today, but the CBI is likely to ask for more time with Raja so that it can subject both him and another key suspect, Shahid Balwa, to more grilling.

Balwa, the promoter of DB Realty, was arrested from his house in Mumbai on Tuesday in connection with the scam. DB Realty floated Swan Telecom, which Raja allegedly favoured in spectrum allocation.