The death of Batcha, a key player in the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation scam, is unlikely to hit the multi-agency probe into the spectrum scam. If at all, the investigation into the money trail might take a hit.
The death of Sadiq Batcha, a key player in the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation scam, is unlikely to hit the multi-agency probe into the spectrum scam. If at all, the investigation into the money trail might take a hit.
This is because Batcha was the key to tracing Raja’s kickback money and officials who have interrogated him maintain he knew everything about it, CBI sources told DNA on Wednesday.
The CBI was contemplating making Batcha an approver in the case, sources said.
“The development is unexpected but it will not affect the investigation as all the evidences have already been recorded,” the CBI’s spokesperson, Dharani Mishra, said, adding there was no pressure from the agency on Batcha.
Asked if the suicide will delay the CBI’s efforts to file charges against the accused before March-end, a senior officer said: “It will not affect the commitments regarding completion of investigation given by the CBI to the Supreme Court.”
“He was very cooperative during the interrogation and gave us valuable leads related to the scam,’’ said a CBI official.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which also interrogated Batcha on several occasions, admitted his absence would affect its investigation to some extent. “We sent Letters Rogatory to several countries on the basis of his disclosure. After getting responses from them, we needed to corroborate these with his statement,” said an ED official.
The CBI sources concurred. “We have evidence that his company, Greenhouse Promoters, was primarily used to park the kickbacks Raja received from the sale of 2G spectrum allocations. The firm has several family members of Raja on its board,” said a senior CBI official.
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