Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AndyTheGrump (talk | contribs) at 14:29, 21 May 2013 (Undid revision 556109173 by Murrallli (talk) RAJA HAS NOT BEEN CONVICTED - READ WP:BLP POLICY). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (October 2012)

Andimuthu Raja (born 26 October 1963, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu, India) is an Indian politician from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) political party. He was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha representing the Nilgiris constituency of Tamil Nadu.

Political career

Resignation

On 17 October 2008 he submitted his post-dated resignation to the DMK party chief, M. Karunanidhi, in protest of the killings of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. His resignation was a part of the mass resignation of all the DMK ministers forming a parts of the coalition United Progressive Alliance government (UPA) in Centre.

2G spectrum scandal

The 2G spectrum financial scandal involved the alleged corrupt sale in 2008 of telecommunications bandwidth to selected organisations at prices that understated the real market value of the asset. The sale is claimed to have occurred when Raja headed the Telecommunications and IT Ministry; it has been considered the largest political corruption case in modern Indian history, amounting to around ₹1,766.45 billion (US$21 billion) of lost income for the Government of India. It is alleged that the sale should have been put under a transparent auction system.

A first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that the allocation was not done as per market prices. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) holds Raja personally responsible for the sale of 2G spectrum at 2001 rates in 2008. In August 2010, evidence was submitted by the CAG showing that Raja had personally signed and approved the majority of the questionable allocations. Although the political opposition was demanding his resignation over the 2G spectrum scam, Raja initially refused to resign, stating his innocence, and this view was backed by his party president M. Karunanidhi. He eventually resigned on 14 November 2010. There will be further criminal investigation and action on Raja with reports being filed by the CAG and the CBI.

In 2011, the results of an investigation by retired judge Shivraj Patil, who was appointed by current telecom minister Kapil Sibal, has also found Raja to have been directly responsible for "procedural lapses" regarding the sale. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate estimate that Raja could have made as much as Rs 30 billion from the alleged bribes.

In January and February 2011, Raja's homes and offices were raided by the CBI, who seized computers as potential evidence. Raja and two former associates were arrested on 2 February 2011. The three were questioned and thereafter Raja was placed for a period in judicial custody at Tihar Jail.

Subsequent to his arrest, the DMK supported him on the basis that he was innocent until proven guilty. On 6 June 2012, Delhi court permits Raja to visit Tamil Nadu between 8 to 30 June, on grounds of discharging his previous duties in the state. The Enforcement Directorate grilled Raja on 10 July 2012, for four hours, to ascertain his role in grant of 2G licenses especially to Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless.

Arrest and chargesheet

On 2 February 2011, the CBI arrested Raja with his aide, R. K. Chandolia, and Siddharth Behura, the former telecom secretary. Raja and R.K. Chandolia are heard in conversation with Niira Radia in the released Radia tapes. On 15 May 2012, he was granted bail by the Supreme court under a condition that he would not visit the Department of Telecommunications nor his home state Tamil Nadu. He stayed in Tihar jail for fifteen months.

See also

• List of scandals in India
• Sadiq Batcha
• Suresh Kalmadi
• Justice A.K. Ganguly

References

1. 14 DMK MPs hand in resignation letters – India – DNA Calendar is on...
2. "Chapter 5" (PDF). CAG of India.
3. "Telecommunication Report" (PDF). CAG India.
4. "Raja faces heat as CBI raids DoT on 2G scam". India Today. 23 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
5. Singh, Shalini (28 October 2009). "BJP takes on Raja over telecom spectrum scam". Times of India. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
6. Joseph, Josy (30 August 2010). "CAG draft report nails Raja role in 2G scam". The Times of India.
7. "Raja adamant, says won't step down, ready for probe". The Times of India. 12 November 2010.
8. "DMK blinks, Raja quits". Hindustan Times.
9. "Justice Patil's report on 2G scam indicts A Raja". The Times of India. 31 January 2011.
10. Dhananjay Mahapatra (11 February 2011). "A Raja made Rs 3,000cr in bribes". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
11. "2G spectrum scam: Former Telecom Minister A Raja arrested". NDTV. 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 10 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
12. "2G scam: CBI arrests former telecom minister A Raja". The Times of India. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
13. "2G spectrum scam: Former Telecom Minister A Raja sent to Tihar Jail". NDTV. 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
14. "A Raja's stay in Tihar Jail extended till March 17". Times of India. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
15. "DMK backs Raja after arrest in 2G scam". IndiaVoice. 3 February 2011.
16. "A Raja allowed to visit Tamil Nadu between June 8–30". 6 June 2012.
17. "ED grills Raja on licenses, beneficiaries". 12 July 2012.
18. "CBI arrests ex-telecoms min A. Raja over graft". Reuters India. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
19. PTI (2 February 2011). "2G spectrum scam: Former telecom minister A Raja arrested – The Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
20. "Transcript : Raja-Radia Tape". Outlook.
21. "Transcript : Radia- Chandolia". Outlook.
22. "2G case: Raja gets bail, can't visit DoT or Tamil Nadu". Hindustan Times. New Delhi. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
23. "Raja granted bail, whispered prayers as verdict was announced". NDTV. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
24. "2G scam: A Raja gets bail after 15 months in jail". CNN IBN. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
25. "A Raja out of jail after 15 months; at his home, dinner for 200". 15 May 2012.

External links

• "Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile: Raja, Shri Andimuthu". Parliament of India. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011.

Template:Persondata

• Use dmy dates from March 2013
• Living people
• Indian Tamil people
• 1963 births
• 14th Lok Sabha members
• 15th Lok Sabha members
• Members of the Cabinet of India
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians
• Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu
• Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu
• Indian prisoners and detainees