New Delhi:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) called former Telecom Minister A Raja for questioning again today. It is for the second straight day that Raja was questioned on the 2G spectrum scam.
Sources say during Saturday's interrogation, the CBI continued with their basic line of questioning, asking him details of the files they had picked up during the raids. These are raids go back to October 2009 when the investigating agency had got crucial documents from the Department of Telecom (DoT). They wanted Raja to explain his decisions at that time.
The CBI sources described Raja as "cooperative" during his questioning. However, being a lawyer himself, Raja was able to evade certain crucial questions, they added.
So, the CBI sleuths might have to carry another round of questioning, the sources said.
Raja was accompanied by his doctor during questioning citing health issues.
On Friday, Raja was questioned by the CBI for nine hours. After the questioning session, he said that he cooperated with the investigating agency, but refused to give any details saying, "I cannot say anything as investigations are on." He added he had nothing to hide.
Forty-seven -year-old Raja appeared before the CBI for questioning in the Rs 22,000 crore 2G spectrum scam, over a year after the agency registered a case in this connection. He was summoned by the CBI under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code. (Read: Who is A Raja? | What is 2G scam?)
Raja is likely to be questioned at length on the circumstances leading to spectrum allocation which has been criticised severely by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Raja was forced to resign last month in the wake of a controversy over his role in the spectrum allocation. He is likely to be questioned on the issue of advancing dates for allocation of spectrum and on the role of his relatives in some of the companies which allegedly acted as a front for certain telecom firms which got spectrum between September 2007 and January 2008.
Raja got the telecom portfolio on May 18, 2007 and again got re-elected as a Member of the 15th Lok Sabha and continued as Telecom Minister from May 31, 2009 till November 14 this year, when he tendered his resignation.
The Supreme Court has asked the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit status reports on their investigations into the 2G case to it by February 10, when the case will come up for further hearing.
The CAG in its report to Parliament had said that the allocation of 2G spectrum at undervalued prices had resulted in the loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
The CBI in its FIR had mentioned the loss as Rs 22,000 crore based on the findings of CVC which had referred the case to it.
Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia was earlier this week quizzed by the CBI at her South Delhi farmhouse. Radia, who was questioned for four hours, came under the scanner after her taped telephonic conversations with various influential people including industrialists, politicians and journalists became public.
The CBI has also questioned former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chief Pradip Baijal, a 1966 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, in connection with the case.
The premises of Raja, Baijal and Radia were searched by the CBI earlier this month. (With PTI Inputs)
Sources say during Saturday's interrogation, the CBI continued with their basic line of questioning, asking him details of the files they had picked up during the raids. These are raids go back to October 2009 when the investigating agency had got crucial documents from the Department of Telecom (DoT). They wanted Raja to explain his decisions at that time.
The CBI sources described Raja as "cooperative" during his questioning. However, being a lawyer himself, Raja was able to evade certain crucial questions, they added.
So, the CBI sleuths might have to carry another round of questioning, the sources said.
Raja was accompanied by his doctor during questioning citing health issues.
On Friday, Raja was questioned by the CBI for nine hours. After the questioning session, he said that he cooperated with the investigating agency, but refused to give any details saying, "I cannot say anything as investigations are on." He added he had nothing to hide.
Forty-seven -year-old Raja appeared before the CBI for questioning in the Rs 22,000 crore 2G spectrum scam, over a year after the agency registered a case in this connection. He was summoned by the CBI under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code. (Read: Who is A Raja? | What is 2G scam?)
Raja is likely to be questioned at length on the circumstances leading to spectrum allocation which has been criticised severely by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Raja was forced to resign last month in the wake of a controversy over his role in the spectrum allocation. He is likely to be questioned on the issue of advancing dates for allocation of spectrum and on the role of his relatives in some of the companies which allegedly acted as a front for certain telecom firms which got spectrum between September 2007 and January 2008.
Raja got the telecom portfolio on May 18, 2007 and again got re-elected as a Member of the 15th Lok Sabha and continued as Telecom Minister from May 31, 2009 till November 14 this year, when he tendered his resignation.
The Supreme Court has asked the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit status reports on their investigations into the 2G case to it by February 10, when the case will come up for further hearing.
The CAG in its report to Parliament had said that the allocation of 2G spectrum at undervalued prices had resulted in the loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
The CBI in its FIR had mentioned the loss as Rs 22,000 crore based on the findings of CVC which had referred the case to it.
Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia was earlier this week quizzed by the CBI at her South Delhi farmhouse. Radia, who was questioned for four hours, came under the scanner after her taped telephonic conversations with various influential people including industrialists, politicians and journalists became public.
The CBI has also questioned former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chief Pradip Baijal, a 1966 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, in connection with the case.
The premises of Raja, Baijal and Radia were searched by the CBI earlier this month. (With PTI Inputs)
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
