Prime accused in 2G spectrum case: Players in the ‘mother of all’ scams include politicians, industry honchos and the judge

Prime accused in 2G spectrum case: Players in the ‘mother of all’ scams include politicians, industry honchos and the judge

The four-time MP of DMK and native of Velur in Perambalur district was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1996. He had been union minister of state, Rural Development, Health and Family Welfare and Cabinet minister for Environment and Forest, before he entered into his controversial Cabinet minister for Communication and Information Technology telecom minister during the period between May 18, 2007-May 31, 2009. Faced with charges for criminal breach of trust by a public servant (section 409), criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B), cheating (Section 420) and forgery (Sections 468 and 471), Raja was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for favouring companies and accepting bribe. Later, he was arrested on February 2 2011 and spent nearly 15 months in in Tihar Central Jail and released on bail on May 15, 2012.

Kanimozhi, who is a Rajya Sabha MP of DMK is daughter of five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi. She had been arrested on May 20, 2011 after she involved in the 2G scam and was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. She also faced criminal conspiracy for causing criminal breach of trust by a public servant and criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B), cheating (Section 420) and forgery (Sections 468 and 471). After Court issued warrant bail, she was released on bail November, 29 2011. Earlier, then DMK leader M K Stalin visited her in Tihar jail, when she was in jail. The DMK nominated Kanimozhi as one of the party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha in May 2007.

Behura was Telecom Secretary when the licenses were granted, and he was a close aide of Raja. 

The CBI booked Behura under the Prevention of Corruption Act for accepting illegal gratification for criminal breach of trust by a public servant (Section 409), criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B), cheating (Section 420) and forgery (Sections 468 and 471) booked.  He was arrested on February 2, 2011 and granted bail on May, 9 2012.

Chandolia, who was said to a Raja’s former private secretary was a 1984 batch IES officer.

Charged with criminal conspiracy to cause criminal breach of trust by a public servant, the officer faced criminal conspiracy (Section 120 B), cheating (Section 420) and forgery (Sections 468 and 471). CBI booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and arrested him on February 2, 2011. 

Even though special CBI court granted to former telecom minister’s private secretary accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam on December 1, 2011, the following day, High Court took suo moto and stayed the bail. However, he was granted bail by Supreme Court on February 9.

Interestingly, Om Prakash Saini, who was appointed as special judge to investigate the 2G spectrum scam was earlier serving as a sub-Inspector in Delhi. Hailing from Haryana, Saini equipped himself and his burning ambition was to become a judge, for which he wrote judicial magistrate examination. Finally, his dream came true, as he passed in the examination. Gradually, he became a CBI Special Judge. Saini even played main role in discharging Aircel-Maxis case in February, 2017.