CBI grills Raja, Behura in 2G scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the multi-billion-rupee 2G telecom scam, interrogated former telecom minister A. Raja, former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura and Reliance Communications executive Gautam Doshi, on Monday.

The extensive grilling by CBI sleuths, at the Patiala court lock-up, was a prelude to the framing of the third charge-sheet by the agency. The counsels for all three accused - currently lodged in jail - had objected to the interrogation. But the special CBI court overruled their objections and allowed the CBI to question the three accused (See: CBI to quiz Raja again in 2G spectrum scam).

According to sources, the fresh interrogation was undertaken after the CBI got information from Mauritius, about links between Loop Telecom and some companies there.

Raja, the former telecom minister, had allegedly favoured some private companies and had also ignored the acquisition of a more than 10-per cent stake by telecom majors in firms like Loop and Swan, which had been granted licenses.

The CBI suspects that both Loop and Swan were fronts for the larger telecom firms and the telecom ministry issued them licences, allegedly under pressure from Raja, the prime accused in the case, violating the guidelines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Loop and Swan were among the eight companies that were given licenses in 2008.