A Raja's close aide Sadiq Batcha found hanging at his Chennai home

In a dramatic twist in the second-generation mobile telephony spectrum probe, Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of former telecom minister A Raja and under investigation in the case, died in mysterious circumstances with his family claiming he committed suicide.

"He was brought dead to the Apollo hospital at about 1.30pm. The family says he had hanged himself. Police is yet to verify anything. We are investigating," Chennai police commissioner T Rajendran told PTI.

Police have rushed to his house and are conducting enquiries.

When the body of 47-year-old Batcha was taken to the hospital, doctors declared him "brought dead."

Hospital sources said the body would be taken to a government hospital for post-mortem.

Batcha was the managing director of Green House Promoters, a firm under the scanner of the CBI as well as the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The CBI along with the ED had conducted searches at his premises late last year.

Both CBI and ED were probing the possibility of his firms acting as a front for the former minister.

Both the agencies have questioned him earlier in connection with the case.