A Raja may appear before CBI on Friday

Former Telecom Minister A Raja has said he would likely to appear before the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI), which is probing the 2 G spectrum scam, on Dec 24.

The beleaguered DMK leader after being summoned by the investigating agency on Monday, flew in here on Wednesday from Chennai to appear for grilling for his alleged involvement in allocating 2G spectrums to the private providers that cost the government nearly Rs 1.74 lakh crore.

The CBI had grilled corporate lobbyist Niira Radia at her farmhouse in south Delhi on Wednesday in connection with the 2G scam.

Raja, after landing in Delhi, said he will appear before the CBI on Dec 24 at 10 am. The investigating agency had summoned Raja on Monday but he had asked for a new date.

Raja, who was forced to quit the central cabinet after the Opposition parties mounted pressure on Government for constituting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe scam, said he would not move for anticipatory bail and face the CBI and cooperate with the authorities. He said he would come clean and alleged the media was “overplaying” the issue.

Over two weeks after the first CBI raids on the former telecom minister’s houses the DMK on Wednesday announced to launch campaign in Tamil Nadu from Friday to defend Raja’s innocence.

DMK said it would explain how Raja’s policy in spectrum allotment has drastically brought down mobile phone tariff.

With the AIADMK-led Opposition in Tamil Nadu was gearing up to capitalise on the 2G spectrum scam in the upcoming assembly polls, the ruling DMK was in damage control process.

In 2008, Raja gave mobile licenses to companies that were new to the telecom sector. Last month, the government’s auditor said Raja’s policies cost the government close to 1.76 lakh crores. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) faulted Raja for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2g spectrum.

The seething assessment forced Raja to resign from the government.