CBI INQUIRY IN TO THE 2G SPECTRUM

CBIinquiry into the 2G spectrum scam allegedly involving former telecom minister A. Raja.

File photo of former telecom minister A. Raja.

A bench of Justices A.K. Ganguly and G. Singhvi directed the CBI to probe the grant of spectrum licences since 2001, thereby bringing the previous NDA government under the ambit of the inquiry.

The court sent out a strong message to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate not to be influenced by anybody in the 2G probe. The CBI has been asked to file a status report on the probe by February 10 next year.

The court told the agency to find out why the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) did not take action against those ineligible for spectrum licences.

The court also ordered the income tax department to hand over to the CBI transcripts of the tapped phone conversations of corporate lobbyist Nira Radia.

The probe will also cover disbursement of loans by PSU banks and find if telecom department officials were signatories to the licence agreements.

The two-judge bench pulled up the Delhi High Court for disallowing a petition seeking a CBI probe.

Moily welcomes verdict

The government welcomed the verdict. Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said the government was always in favour of a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the 2G scam.

Moily said the BJP was politically motivated and lacked faith in the judiciary.

The Congress said the Supreme Court's ruling vindicated the party's stand against a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G scam.