2G spectrum: Shourie likely to be questioned tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Former Telecom Minister Arun Shourie is likely to appear before the CBI for questioning tomorrow in connection with the agency's probe into possible criminal aspects in the telecom policy since 2001.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had approached Shourie, a senior BJP leader, early this month asking him to appear before it in connection with the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) registered by the agency following a direction from the Supreme Court.

Shourie had held the telecom portfolio between January 2003 and May 2004 in the NDA regime.

The PE was registered against "unknown persons" with an aim to ascertaining as to whether or not the "first-come-first-serve basis" provision passed by the then Cabinet led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was followed, officials said.

The CBI is likely to go into the minutes of the meetings held by successive Telecom Ministers which include late Pramod Mahajan, Shourie and Dayanidhi Maran of DMK.

According to the CBI, nearly 50 licences were given out on the first-come-first-serve basis and Bharti, Vodafone and Idea were among the beneficiaries of the policy.

The CBI would go into the documents of the companies who have been awarded the contracts.

The Supreme Court had on December 16 last year directed the agency to widen its investigation to cover the grant of licences by both the NDA and the UPA regimes between 2001-2007 and submit a report.