2G scam: JPC not keen to grill Raja; wants only written testimony

Former Telecom Minister A Raja, under whose stewardship the alleged 2G spectrum scam occurred in 2008, could be asked by the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) looking into the matter to submit his views in writing rather than appear personally before the JPC.

Raja has said he is keen to depose personally before the committee; but the United Progressive Alliance government seems to dislike the idea of his deposing personally. The chairman of the JPC, Congress MP P C Chacko, has said earlier that Raja is unlikely to be taken up on his offer.

Chairman Chacko is now likely to tell Raja that instead of appearing as a witness, he can submit a "rebuttal note" on the statement made by attorney general G E Vahanvati before the committee that the controversial press note regarding 2G licences was changed at the last minute by Raja in 2008.

Chacko told the JPC that as an accused Raja has legal protection and cannot make fresh revelations before any committee. Therefore, there was no point in calling Raja.

Raja, a prime accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, had recently made a strong pitch to appear before the JPC as a witness after Vahanvati blamed him for various issues before the panel.

Last month Raja had written to Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar saying, "The truth of the matter is being suppressed on the basis of preconceived notions, deliberate bias, faulty investigation and erroneous conclusions ... perhaps the most telling example of this situation is the judgement of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 02.02.2012, where specific and prejudicial observations were made against me without giving me a hearing."