2G scam: Swan Telecom met A Raja more than 20 times, says witness

Swan Telecom promoters and 2G case accused Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka had visited the office of A Raja more than 20 times during his tenure as minister of environment and forests, a key CBI witness told a Delhi court today.

Aseervartham Achary, an ex-aide of the former telecom minister, told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that the officials of other companies, including Jaypee Group, DLF and Dalmia Cement, also used to visit the office of that ministry.

Testifying as seventh prosecution witness in the case, he said, "I saw Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka approximately more than 20 times in the office of the Minister of Environment and Forests. I do not remember even by approximation as to how many environmental clearances were issued in favour of the companies of these two persons.

"I remember people from Jaypee Group, DLF, Dalmia Cement etc visiting the office of the Minister Environment and Forests. I do not remember the names of the officials who came on behalf of these three companies."

Achary said he had seen Balwa and Goenka in the minister's office as well in the room of Raja's ex-private secretary R K Chandolia.

During his cross-examination by Ram Jethmalani, counsel for DMK MP Kanimozhi, Achary refused that he gave the names of Balwa and Goenka at the instance of CBI.

"It is incorrect to suggest that I gave the names of Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka as the CBI specifically asked me about these two persons," he said.