The former telecom minister was today remanded in two more days of CBI custody by a court in New Delhi for further interrogation after the agency submitted that he was not divulging any 'useful information' regarding his role in the scam.
A Raja will continue to spend two more nights in CBI custody and face further grilling sessions.
A Delhi court remanded him on Tuesday to two more days of custody for further interrogation after the agency submitted that the former telecom minister was not divulging any useful information regarding the money trail and his role in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Raja, who appeared before special CBI judge OP Saini again, greeted the court with folded hands to mark his presence, when his name was called. His supporters had thronged the court since morning to meet him.
The court sent former telecom secretary Siddartha Behura and Raja’s former personal secretary RK Chandolia to Tihar jail as the agency said it no longer needed their custody. Raja will remain in CBI custody till February 10.
Senior CBI prosecutor Akhilesh said since more documents and witnesses were to be confronted, Raja’s custody was required for two more days.
Countering CBI’s submission, Raja’s lawyer Ramesh Gupta said, “No document is alleged to be in the custody of the accused and no recovery is to be effected from him. He is already been in police custody for five days and further police custody is unnecessary.”
Agreeing with CBI’s demand for sustained interrogation, the court said, “It is a case in which allegations are that the acts of accused persons caused loss to the state exchequer to the tune of Rs22,000-crore in the grant of United Access Service Licences by misuse of his official position. Naturally, it is a complex case based on document and at the relevant time, Raja was the minister in charge of the department.”
The trio, arrested by the agency on February 2 for their alleged role in the scam, were produced before the court following expiry of their five-day CBI custody.
Chandolia’s lawyer Smriti Singh argued that his arrest was illegal because since he was a joint secretary prior sanction from the Centre was required, which was not obtained in this case.
Counsel for Behura, SS Gandhi moved an application before the court seeking permission to wear reading glasses inside the jail and take medicines as prescribed by his doctor, which was allowed by the court.
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