New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case in the allocation of additional spectrum to private telecom firms when late Pramod Mahajan was Telecommunications Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
"The agency has registered a case in the allocation of additional spectrum today during the NDA's rule," said a CBI official. "The agency also raided the Vodafone office in Mumbai, Airtel office in Gurgaon and residences of Shyamal Ghosh and J.R. Gupta," the official added. The late Pramod Mahajan of the Bharatiya Janata Party was telecom minister between 2001-2003.
While J.R. Gupta was the deputy director general in the telecom ministry, Shyamal Ghosh was telecom secretary.
Earlier, the investigating agency had conducted a preliminary inquiry regarding the allocation of additional spectrum from 2001 to 2007.
Raids at Airtel, Vodafone officesThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today conducted raids in Delhi and Mumbai at offices of three private cellular companies and the houses of two former telecom officials after the agency filed a new case in allocation of additional 2G spectrum when the late Pramod Mahajan was telecom minister during the NDA government, CBI officials said.
The probe agency registered the case Thursday evening for alleged irregularities in the grant of additional spectrum and causing a loss of approximately Rs.508.22 crore to the exchequer during the period 2001 and 2007.
The case was registered against three private telecom companies -- Bharti Cellular now know as Bharti Airtel, Hutchison Max now known as Vodafone Essar, and Sterling Cellular now known as Vodafone Essar Mobile Services -- and two telecom officials -- Shyamal Ghosh, the then chairman of Telecom Commission and secretary (Telecom) and then deputy director general (Value Added Services in the ministry) J.R. Gupta.
The CBI conducted three raids in New Delhi, one in Gurgaon (Airtel) and one in Mumbai (Vodafone).
The agency has also registered a case against unknown officials of Department of Telecommunications.
