CBI claims it questioned Nira Radia at her farmhouse

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed it has questioned corporate lobbyist Nira Radia in the cosy environment of her sprawling DLF Chattarpur farmhouse.

The agency said it grilled her on Tuesday regarding alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocation and her role in the Rs1.76-lakh crore scam.

The corporate consultant hit headlines when her telephonic conversations with ministers, corporate houses and journalists were made public by print and television media.

According to CBI, a team of its officials reached Radia’s farmhouse in South Delhi at around 10:30 am in response to a notice that the agency had sent her. The team left her premises after a four-hour long session.

She was believed to have been confronted over her phone conversations with the other players whose names figured in the expose.

“She was questioned for the first time after her offices and residence was raided last week. She was interrogated on various facts and will be grilled again if required,” said a CBI official, close to the investigation.

However, CBI officials maintained while questioning that Radia completely co-operated with the agency.

The move comes a day after the CBI sent a notice to former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja and Radia to appear before it. The investigators had quizzed former chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), Pradip Baijal, on Monday.

The CBI’s move to question Radia at her residence has raised some eyebrows, as Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is also probing the case had called Radia at its office for questioning.

CBI officials said Radia was given the benefit of the rule that stated that any witness under 15 or a woman can record his/her statement at their residence.

“Being a woman, her questioning can only be done at the place where she is available or at her residence,” a CBI officer said.

After her questioning, the CBI may now proceed with arresting “some people” under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly influencing government servants for their personal benefit.

The multi-agency probe into the allegations of irregularities in allocating 2G spectrum to certain telecom firms is being monitored by the Supreme Court.

The apex court has asked CBI and ED to submit status reports on their probe by February 10 when the 2G spectrum scam case comes up for further hearing.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report to parliament had said the allocation of 2G spectrum at under valued prices in 2008 had resulted in the loss of Rs1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.

It also led to telecom minister A Raja resigning from his post last month.