INDIA’S NODAL PROBE AGENCY CONFIRMS RAID AND SEIZURE OF VITAL DOCUMENTS IN THE TELECOM SCAM
By ANIThursday, December 16, 2010
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SOURCE: ANI
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India’s nodal probe agency confirms raid and seizure of vital documents in the telecom scam.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s federal probe body confirms that vital incriminating documents related to the 2G-spectrum allocation have been seized during the raids.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
SHOWS:
NEW DELHI (DECEMBER 15, 2010) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. HEADQUATERS OF CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI), INDIA’S NODAL PROBE AGENCY
2. BOARD READING ‘CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION’
3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VINEETA THAKUR, SPOKESPERSON, CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI), SAYING: “CBI has today conducted searches at the residential and official premises of several companies, their directors and the former chairman of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) as a follow up of the searches conducted on 8th December, 2010, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the allocation of Unified Access Service Licences. The searches started early in the morning in around 34 places in Tamil Nadu, Delhi (and) Noida. Several incriminating documents have been seized through the searches, and the searches are still continuing.”
4. VINEETA THAKUR SURROUNDED BY MEDIA PERSONS
NEW DELHI, INDIA (DECEMBER 15, 2010) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
6. EXTERIOR OF GOPALDAS BUILDING WHERE NIRA RADIA’S OFFICE IS LOCATED
7. SIGNBOARD SHOWING ‘VAISHNAVI CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS’
8. CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION OFFICIALS
NEW DELHI, INDIA (DECEMBER 15, 2010) (ORIGINALLY 4:3 MATERIAL) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
9. MEDIA VANS PARKED AT THE ROADSIDE
10. A SIGNBOARD READING ‘CHATTARPUR FARMHOUSE’
11. GATE OF THE FARMHOUSE
12. GUARDS STANDING
13. BARRICADE PUT UP AT THE ENTRYWAY OF THE FARMHOUSE
PERAMBALUR, TAMIL NADU, INDIA (DECEMBER 15, 2010) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
14. EXTERIOR VIEW OF A RAJA’S RESIDENCE
15. LOCALS MOVING OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE
16. CBI OFFICIALS SITTING
STORY: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s federal probe body confirmed on Wednesday (December 15) that vital incriminating documents related to the 2G-spectrum allocation have been seized during co-ordinated raids at a couple of places across the country, earlier in the day.
Briefing the media persons at New Delhi, Vineeta Thakur, spokesperson of the CBI said that searches were carried out at the residential and official premises of several companies including that of former chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
The CBI officials raided 34 locations in total.
“CBI has today conducted searches at the residential and official premises of several companies, their directors and the former chairman of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) as a follow up of the searches conducted on 8th December, 2010, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the allocation of Unified Access Service Licences. The searches started early in the morning in around 34 places in Tamil Nadu, Delhi (and) Noida. Several incriminating documents have been seized through the searches, and the searches are still continuing,” said Vineeta Thakur.
A special team of the CBI officials carried out raids at 27 places in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, and eight places in New Delhi in connection with its probe.
Among the places raided were the ancestral residence of former Telecom Minister A Raja in Perambalur as well as his siblings - sister’s and brothers’ houses at Trichy (Tiruchirapalli) to search documents relating to the 2G telecom spectrum scam.
In the early morning, the CBI officials simultaneously raided corporate lobbyist Nira Radia’s residence in New Delhi and her office named Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, both in the national capital and also at Chennai.
The raid was in connection with her alleged role of a wheeler-dealer and fixer in the 2G-telecom spectrum allocation scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier questioned Radia for her suspected role in the scam where she had promised to give her full support in the investigation process.
Radia’s name appeared in the case when a tape with the recorded conversation between A Raja, former federal Telecom Minister, an industrialist, journalists and her was presented as evidence in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case filed before the Supreme Court, for the irregularities in the 2G-spectrum allocation.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, a constitutional audit authority, in a report held former Telecom Minister, A Raja responsible for causing losses estimated at a whopping Rs 1.76 trillion ($39.57 billion) to the exchequer in 2G telecom spectrum allotments to favoured operators without any auction bids.
