2G scam: CBI arrests DB Realty MD Shahid Balwa

The CBI on Tuesday night arrested Dynamix Balwas (DB) group managing director Shahid Usman Balwa in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Highly-placed sources in the agency said that Balwa would be taken to Delhi for being confronted with former telecom minister A Raja whose CBI custody was extended by two more days today.

The arrest of Balwa comes two days before the 2G case comes up for hearing in the Supreme Court.

He would be produced before a magistrate tomorrow for transit remand to Delhi, the sources said.

Balwa-promoted DB Realty floated Swan Telecom. Raja allegedly helped Swan bag 2G licences for 13 circles, including Mumbai and Delhi, for Rs1,537 crore but Swan sold 45% shares to the UAE telecom giant Etisalat for approximately Rs4,500 crore within months of bagging the spectrum.

The sources claimed CBI has evidence from the income tax department that Balwa, considered close to Raja, was instrumental in channelling the kickbacks allegedly received by the former telecom minister from the sale of 2G spectrum.

According to the sources, Balwa had allegedly helped the former telecom minister and some of his aides park the money in real estate sector.

Balwa is the fourth person to be arrested in 2G spectrum case after Raja, his former personal secretary RK Chandolia and former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura.

Chandolia and Behura were today sent by a court in Delhi to judicial custody on completion of their interrogation by CBI.