By IANS,
Chennai: Former union communications minister Arun Shourie Saturday said he is ready to answer the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) questions on the 2G spectrum allocation during his tenure.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, he said: “I would be happy to answer the questions. I can answer the questions in a public hall or at their place or even at my residence.”
The Supreme Court recently ordered the CBI to probe the 2G spectrum muddle in its entirety, starting from 2001.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shourie held the portfolio between 2003-2004 during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule. Prior to him, it was his party colleague Pramod Mahajan who headed the ministry.
Queried about the CBI’s investigation into the spectrum allocation scam, he said the evidence against the front companies of former communications minister A. Raja was given to the investigating agency nearly a year ago.
Raja quit in disgrace last month after being accused of allegedly selling 2G spectrum at below market prices, causing huge losses to the government.
Shourie said Raja changed the “first come, first served” policy for allocation of spectrum and the priority list to favour a company.
He said the “first come, first served” policy was framed when Mahajan was the minister and he had continued with that policy.
According to him, Raja broke the system. The prime minister and law and finance ministries had expressed their reservations about the procedure followed by Raja.
The BJP leader also charged Raja of arm-twisting the spectrum bidders.
According to him, the issue will be clear if one reads the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report that indicted Raja of violations.
Shourie also said there was contradiction in the central government’s stand now as it was defending Raja after making him quit the cabinet.
He said his successors and United Progressive Alliance government ministers Dayanidhi Maran and Raja did not continue with the set systems and changed them.
Earlier delivering the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture on ‘The Real Significance of Scams’, Shourie pushed for reforms so that the corrupt were jailed and not just fined.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s order to the CBI to probe the telecom spectrum allocation from 2001, he said the investigating agency should not delay Raja’s prosecution.
He urged the media to investigate thoroughly before publishing scam-related news.