NEW DELHI: Seeking prosecution of home minister P Chidambaram in the 2G scam, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Saturday accused him of "active connivance" with jailed ex-telecom minister A Raja.
Swamy, whom the special CBI court of O P Saini heard patiently for more than an hour, also placed documents allegedly implicating Chidambaram in the scam. These include a controversial finance ministry note that suggested Chidambaram could have prevented the scam had he insisted on auction of spectrum; minutes of meeting held between Raja and Chidambaram (the then finance minister) on the 2G issue on January 30, 2008; a department of economic affairs note of February 11, 2008, that, as per Swamy, alerted Chidambaram about the unfolding scam in the telecom ministry; a briefing note provided to the Public Accounts Committee by the finance ministry.
The court asked Swamy to submit certified copies of all these documents, indicating that witnesses need not be summoned if these copies are submitted for the court to examine.
During his testimony, Swamy said, "The Prime Minister's speech delivered on the floor of Parliament in February clearly proves that the pricing of the spectrum was taken on the basis of Cabinet decisions of 2003, which specifically left the issue to be determined by the finance minister and DoT (department of telecommunications)." He pointed out that Chidambaram was the finance minister in the UPA-I, when the spectrum saga began.
"Former telecom minister A Raja could not be guilty of this charge alone but committed the offence with active connivance with Chidambaram, presently home minister...both were empowered by the 2003 Cabinet decision to determine the spectrum price jointly," he added.
"Chidambaram was aware at least one day before what Raja was planning to do in selling the spectrum," Swamy alleged, claiming the home minister had informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the finance ministry and DoT would discuss and finalize the spectrum pricing formula.
Chidambaram and Raja had met on four occasions. The two met the PM on July 4, 2008, and conveyed to him the message of agreement on the price fixed for spectrum and other aspects, including entry fee charges of spectrum and revenue shares, he said.
He alleged that despite being ineligible, Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom were awarded licences. As Swamy sought time to present more documents, the court fixed the matter for January 7.
Swamy, whom the special CBI court of O P Saini heard patiently for more than an hour, also placed documents allegedly implicating Chidambaram in the scam. These include a controversial finance ministry note that suggested Chidambaram could have prevented the scam had he insisted on auction of spectrum; minutes of meeting held between Raja and Chidambaram (the then finance minister) on the 2G issue on January 30, 2008; a department of economic affairs note of February 11, 2008, that, as per Swamy, alerted Chidambaram about the unfolding scam in the telecom ministry; a briefing note provided to the Public Accounts Committee by the finance ministry.
The court asked Swamy to submit certified copies of all these documents, indicating that witnesses need not be summoned if these copies are submitted for the court to examine.
During his testimony, Swamy said, "The Prime Minister's speech delivered on the floor of Parliament in February clearly proves that the pricing of the spectrum was taken on the basis of Cabinet decisions of 2003, which specifically left the issue to be determined by the finance minister and DoT (department of telecommunications)." He pointed out that Chidambaram was the finance minister in the UPA-I, when the spectrum saga began.
"Former telecom minister A Raja could not be guilty of this charge alone but committed the offence with active connivance with Chidambaram, presently home minister...both were empowered by the 2003 Cabinet decision to determine the spectrum price jointly," he added.
"Chidambaram was aware at least one day before what Raja was planning to do in selling the spectrum," Swamy alleged, claiming the home minister had informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the finance ministry and DoT would discuss and finalize the spectrum pricing formula.
Chidambaram and Raja had met on four occasions. The two met the PM on July 4, 2008, and conveyed to him the message of agreement on the price fixed for spectrum and other aspects, including entry fee charges of spectrum and revenue shares, he said.
He alleged that despite being ineligible, Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom were awarded licences. As Swamy sought time to present more documents, the court fixed the matter for January 7.
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