2G scam: Spectrum pricing done by Chidambaram, Raja, says Subramanian Swamy

NEW DELHI: Seeking permission to examine senior CBI officials and others to establish former finance minister and present Union home minister P Chidambaram’s role in the 2G scam, Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday alleged before the special CBI court that the documents, which he had received from the CBI after the court’s order, “shows in great detail” as far as spectrum pricing was concerned that it was jointly taken by former telecom minister A Raja and Chidambaram.

“Four meetings took place between the two ministers. It is on record that the then telecom minister and the then finance minister met for deciding the spectrum pricing and it (document) says that finance minister said that prices of 2001 shall not be revisited,” he said, adding that the meetings between both the ministers “shows the meeting of minds” between them.

Swamy told special CBI judge O P Saini that he would like to examine senior CBI officials and other government servants to prove that Chidambaram had taken a joint decision with Raja regarding fixing the price for the 2G spectrum. The court has reserved its order for December 8on Swamy’s plea.

Swamy alleged that Chidambaram had written two letters, one to the PM and other to Raja, on the fixation of spectrum price.

Swamy claimed that national security aspect was “ignored” as Swan Telecom and Unitech were allowed to sell their shares to Etisalat and Telenor, the firms that were under the home ministry’s scanner. He said the office note of the telecom ministry said that the then finance minister had clarified the dilution of shares in foreign companies.

He alleged that Swan Telecom was granted licence for the 2G spectrum despite the home ministry expressing reservation over it on the ground that its promoter Shahid Usman Balwa had ‘links’ with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.