Raja raids mere eyewash, says opposition

NEW DELHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids on the homes of former telecom minister A. Raja over the 2G spectrum allocation are a mere eyewash, opposition parties said Wednesday.

It is a mere eyewash. This is too little, too late, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Prakash Javadekar told IANS.

Javadekar said the Supreme Court had questioned the CBI’s pace in probing the alleged irregularities in the second generation telephony spectrum allotment of 2008.

Raja, who was forced to quit the cabinet, is alleged to have sold spectrum licenses at rates much lower than the market causing huge financial losses to the national exchequer.

The CBI Wednesday morning searched the New Delhi and Tamil Nadu homes of former Raja as well as the premises of four of his associates in connection with the spectrum probe.

Searches were also conducted at the residences of Raja’s former private secretary R.K. Chandolia, former telecom secretary Siddharth Behuria, member telecom K. Sridhar and deputy director general (telecom) A.K. Srivastava.

This confirms our doubts that it was Raja and his coterie who are responsible for the scam, Javadekar said.

The BJP spokesperson said the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the scandal has become more valid now and the opposition will continue with its demand.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav said the searches were futile.

He said the CBI was doing it because of the pressure in parlianment.

The corruption is not confined to one person. This is rampant. Only a JPC will find its roots to nail the culprits, Yadav told reporters.

Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta also termed the search operation an eyewash.

This should have been done earlier. They (the CBI) have given him enough time hide the things. A JPC should be formed and we will continue with our demand. Raids and search operations won’t yield anything.