2G scam: Raja should be arrested, says Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa on Monday demanded that former Telecom Minister A. Raja, who has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in connection with the 2G scam, should be arrested on corruption charges.

“Raja should be arrested…when there are developments we will let you know,” she told reporters.

Meanwhile, reacting to the CBI notice sent to A. Raja to appear before it for questioning in connection with the 2G scam, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M Karunanidhi earlier today said his party is not worried by the investigating agency’s notice, and added that action will be taken against Raja if he is found guilty.

The DMK President, while reacting to the summons, said he considered this action as routine.

“Action will be taken against Raja if he is proved guilty. The self-respect movement grew by taking on humiliation. Even the media could not bring about strain in the relations between the Congress and the DMK,” Karunanidhi told reporters here while replying to a question on whether the party considers the raids against Raja, his associates and relatives as a humiliation.

Earlier today, the CBI sent a notice to Raja to appear before it for questioning in connection with the 2G scam.

The move comes after the CBI raided 34 places in Delhi and Tamil Nadu on December 15 and questioned several persons informally.

Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman Pradeep Baijal have also been summoned for questioning by the investigating agency.

The list of people the CBI is going to question this week reportedly includes Pradeep Baijal, Raja’s aides R K Chandolia and A K Srivastava, Raja’s brother Andimuthu Kaliaperumal, Associate Editor of ‘Nakeeran’ A Kamaraj and several others.

The CBI earlier searched offices of Wireless Planning Cell (WPC), the department responsible for allocating Spectrum, and the office of Deputy Director General (Access Services) of the Telecom Ministry to probe the allegations of connivance of officials with private companies in allocation of Spectrum.

Raja was forced to resign last month under considerable pressure from the Congress, which continues to be attacked in Parliament by the Opposition on corruption charges.

The 2G spectrum allocation has reportedly caused an alleged loss of Rs1.76 lakh crores to the Government, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has stated in a report. (ANI)