The CBI continued to question the former telecom minister on his alleged investments and connections with the corporate world, while sources say more arrests could happen as soon as February 8.
The questioning of arrested former telecom minister A Raja by the CBI continued for the second day today during which names of certain ex-bureaucrats came to light and this could lead to more arrests soon.
Official sources said the CBI grilled Raja on his alleged investments and connections with certain companies based in Chennai and some other cities.
He was confronted with seized documents and asked specific questions based on the same.
The sources said names of some former bureaucrats have also cropped up during the questioning and more arrests are likely to take place soon, as early as February 8, once certain information is worked out.
Raja along with his former private secretary R K Chandolia and former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura were also questioned on the last minute changes in spectrum policy that were put in place.
Meanwhile, the agency also questioned former Deputy Director General (Access Control) of DoT A K Srivastava for several hours. Sources said the agency also examined R K Gupta, another DoT official.
Raja, Chandolia and Behura were arrested by the agency on Wednesday and were remanded to five days of police custody by a special CBI Court yesterday.
The agency has alleged that the accused conspired with some private companies in putting a cap on the maximum number of applications which could be entertained for the grant of licences.
This was against the recommendations of the TRAI, the telecom watchdog, that the competitive bidding process should be preferred over the first-come-first-serve basis, it had said in the Court.
The DoT officials had selectively leaked the information to some of the corporates regarding the date of issuance of letters of intent on January 10, 2008," it said, adding that as a result, only few of the companies were able to deposit the licence fee.
The probe agency had lodged an FIR on October 21, 2009 against some unknown persons in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate has also registered a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is running a parallel probe.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}