Raja 'misled' Manmohan Singh on policy matters pertaining to 2G spectrum allocation, says CBI to court

CBI on Wednesday argued before a Special Court that former Telecom Minister A Raja had misled the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on policy matters pertaining to allocation of 2G spectrum.

Commencing final arguments in the case, Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover said that Raja, in conspiracy with other accused, had advanced the cut-off date to favour accused firms in allocation of 2G licences.

Grover argued that Raja had granted spectrum to ineligible companies like Swan Telecom (STPL) and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu).

He said that the first-come-first-serve (FCFS) policy was changed to favour some of the accused and Raja even rejected the proposal of the then Law Minister who had proposed that some of the key policy issues be referred to the Empowered Group of Ministers.

Referring to the letters written by Raja on November 2, 2007 to the then Prime Minister, Grover said, He (Raja), infact, misled him (Manmohan Singh) on FCFS and cut-off date.

"Curious things happened in DoT (Department of Telecommunication) which showed that this (change in FCFS policy) was deliberately done to favour the accused", the prosecutor said.

Grover also argued that Raja had changed the cut-off date for receiving applications by the companies for grant of 2G licences to favour accused firms particularly Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu).

On the issue of grant of licence to ineligible companies, the agency said that accused firm Swan Telecom was ineligible on the date of application for grant of radio waves as it was actually owned by Tiger Traders through Reliance ADAG (Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group).

The final arguments in the case would continue on May 25, the next date of hearing.