Former Indian minister's homes raided
Source: Agencies |
December 9, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
INDIAN federal agents have raided the homes and offices of a former telecoms minister in connection with an alleged US$39 billion corruption scandal, which has sparked a political deadlock in Asia's third largest economy.
Opposition parties have forced parliament to stay shut since early November, demanding a joint inquiry into a telecoms license and spectrum scandal in 2007-2008 that a government auditor said may have cost India US$39 billion in revenues.
The move against Andimuthu Raja may help the beleaguered coalition government placate the opposition and break the parliamentary deadlock, which has stalled the passage of key economic reform bills.
Although there is little threat to the coalition government, the scandal has eroded its political capital since an impressive election victory last year, and have become a test of how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tackles corruption.
Raja, a member of a party from south India in the coalition, denies any wrongdoing and says his innocence will be proven.
RK Gaur, a spokesman of the federal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), said officers were searching the homes of Raja in Delhi and Tamil Nadu state, and those of some other former ministry officials in connection with the license row.
This is the first direct action against Raja, who was sacked last month after the auditor's report was made public.
"The natural course of action will include interrogating the former minister and anyone else involved in the case," said an official, who declined to be identified.
"We have searched nine to 10 places and we are investigating five people including Raja and ex-telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura," the official said.
The Supreme Court has criticized the CBI for not questioning Raja in its year-long investigation, despite him being at the center of the inquiry.
Opposition parties have forced parliament to stay shut since early November, demanding a joint inquiry into a telecoms license and spectrum scandal in 2007-2008 that a government auditor said may have cost India US$39 billion in revenues.
The move against Andimuthu Raja may help the beleaguered coalition government placate the opposition and break the parliamentary deadlock, which has stalled the passage of key economic reform bills.
Although there is little threat to the coalition government, the scandal has eroded its political capital since an impressive election victory last year, and have become a test of how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tackles corruption.
Raja, a member of a party from south India in the coalition, denies any wrongdoing and says his innocence will be proven.
RK Gaur, a spokesman of the federal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), said officers were searching the homes of Raja in Delhi and Tamil Nadu state, and those of some other former ministry officials in connection with the license row.
This is the first direct action against Raja, who was sacked last month after the auditor's report was made public.
"The natural course of action will include interrogating the former minister and anyone else involved in the case," said an official, who declined to be identified.
"We have searched nine to 10 places and we are investigating five people including Raja and ex-telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura," the official said.
The Supreme Court has criticized the CBI for not questioning Raja in its year-long investigation, despite him being at the center of the inquiry.
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