2G scam: Unitech Wireless in troubled waters

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday named both Unitech Wireless and Unitech managing director Sanjay Chandra as key accused in the 2G spectrum scam and charged them with criminal conspiracy to cheat the government of several crores.

CBI has accused Unitech Wireless of forgery and using forged documents as genuine one as well as bribing government functionaries. The agency said Chandra was already familiar with former telecom minister A Raja when he was environment and forests minister for green clearances for Unitech's real estate ventures.

The relationship continued once Raja moved to the ministry of telecom and IT. The 63-page chargesheet says that Raja entered into a conspiracy with others, including Unitech, which was yet to apply for unified access service (UAS) licenses by manipulating the priority list to award licenses and spectrum. "Investigation has also disclosed that Sanjay Chandra, Managing director Unitech Limited who was in charge of and was responsible to the company for the conduct of business especially in the telecom area also joined the conspiracy with the accused A Raja and R K Chandolia to cheat DoT for grant of licence in fraudulent manner," the CBI said.

The document filed in court on Saturday goes on to mention that Chandolia, an accused and Raja's private secretary, had asked the officer concerned in telecom department to shut the window for others once Unitech's application was submitted.

Chandra made applications by eight group companies – Aska Projects, Nahan Properties, United Builders & Estates, Unitech Infrastructure, Azare Properties, Adonis Projects, Hudson Properties and Volga Properties. On receipt of licences, they were renamed and merged into Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd.