NEW DELHI/TIRUCHY: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a disproportionate assets case against ex-telecom minister A Raja, his wife and 15 others for allegedly amassing assets worth `27.92 crore during the 11-year period between 1999 and 2010. Almost five years after booking Raja in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, the agency again booked him on Wednesday for acquiring the assets through his relatives and close associates.
The probe agency also raided 20 places in Delhi, Chennai, Perambalur, Tiruchy and Coimbatore in the case. The sleuths carried out searches simultaneously at the residential and official premises of Raja and others at six locations in Chennai, two in Coimbatore, eight in Perambalur and three in Tiruchy. In Delhi, searches were carried out at Raja’s residence at A-33 in Gulmohar Park in his presence.
In Perambalur, Ariyalur and Tiruchy, about 50 CBI sleuths searched the residence of Raja, and establishments owned by his elder brother A Kaliaperumal and Raja’s friend Sadiq Batcha, who had allegedly committed suicide. Unconfirmed sources said raids also took place at the residences of Venkatesan, accounts officer in BSNL and son of Raja’s elder sister Baby, another brother
A Ramachandran, ex-dean of the Centre for Climatic Change in Anna University, and Ravi, driver of Ramachandran, at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchy.
“The searches led to the recovery of several incriminating documents like financial statements, I-T returns, immovable property papers, bills, vouchers and invoices. Bank accounts and fixed deposits in the names of the accused have also been identified,” said a CBI official.
The agency said several of his relatives and associates enjoyed an “exponential financial growth” under suspicious circumstances and had acquired assets worth several crores of rupees without “sufficient wherewithal” during the period. The CBI officials in New Delhi said the case was registered after the team probing the 2G case submitted a report stating that Raja had amassed disproportionate assets. On the direction of top CBI officials in Delhi, the team in Chennai registered an FIR on Tuesday.
Though the CBI has been probing the 2G case for six years, they seem to have suddenly ascertained that Raja had acquired the assets. When this was pointed out, officials were “speechless” and said, “We found new evidence of disproportionate assets recently.”