2G Case: Raja Wants to Appear Before JPC as a Witness
A Raja, former Telecom Minister and prime accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, today created a flutter by making a strong pitch to appear before the JPC as a witness claiming he has been "condemned unheard".

Raja's request to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar comes days after Attorney General G E Vahanvati blamed him for various issues before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

He has also been blamed for the 2G scam by other witnesses before the special CBI court.

"The truth of the matter is being suppressed on the basis of preconceived notions, deliberate bias, faulty investigation and erroneous conclusions.

"...Perhaps the most telling example of this situation is the judgement of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 02.02.2012, where specific and prejudicial observations were made against me without giving me a hearing," Raja wrote in the letter.

Raja's request has come when the three-month-long Budget session has just commenced.

There was no immediate reaction of JPC Chairman P C Chacko to the request of Raja, who had been in Tihar jail for several months in the 2G issue before being granted bail.

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi steered clear of the issue while an AIADMK leader said it was a fight between DMK and Congress and his party would not get into it.

Raja, a leader of the DMK, met Kumar at her office yesterday and handed over a letter expressing his willingness to appear as a witness before the committee.

He has sent a copy of the letter to Chacko.

Raja said while he has the "fullest respect" for the court, "the fact remains that I have been condemned unheard."

DMK members in JPC T R Baalu and T Siva had been pressing Chacko to call Raja as a witness.

They also demanded calling Vahanvati again before the panel after he told JPC earlier this month that the controversial press note regarding 2G licences was changed at the last minute by Raja in 2008 with a different pen.

Vahanvati was then the Solicitor General.

Chacko is apparently against calling Raja as a witness. He has told members that as an accused Raja has legal protection and cannot make fresh revelations before any committee. Therefore, there was no point in calling Raja.

But Chacko is yet to take a final call on the issue.

"If Raja is to be called, he will be the last witness. If DMK agrees on not calling him, then we have concluded calling witnesses before JPC and we would focus on writing the report," Chacko had recently said.

Parliament sources said the Speaker cannot direct any committee to call a person as a witness. In this case, Kumar can forward Raja's letter to Chacko.
Emerging story. Watch this space for updates as more details come in
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12/D-114
Feb 25, 2013
07:34 PM

Just like Manmohan Singh, I believe Raja made the offer to appear before JPC with the full knowledge and confidence that he will not be called to testify. This refusal will give him another chance to cry about "denied opportunity" to tell his side of the story.

This is a charade. Raja is simply trying to blackmail. TO what end we can only guess at this moment.

Rakhal, Philadelphia
11/D-113
Feb 25, 2013
07:25 PM

 As I remember, Manmohan Singh said he was ready to appear before PAC or any other committee to explain his role. That offer was touted as "brave" and "courageous" which took the wind out of the Opposition.

We are still waiting. Raja is now simply following Manmohan Singh's footsteps.

Rakhal, Philadelphia
10/D-84
Feb 24, 2013
02:28 PM

 I would not comment on Mr Andimuthu Raja's request. But one thing Mr raja has been consistently stating is that whatever his actions during 2G scam were done /committed with Mr P Chidambaram and Mr MMS fully informed/in the loop.

Given this, why do the authorities not investigate Mr PC and Mr MMS? Both PC and MMS require through investigation/scrutingy on all grounds. Unless either of them or both are ready to declare explicitly that Mr Raja and co (Kanimozhi etc) enacted the himalayan corruption on their own as a price for their support to UPA govt.

Will we ever get to that point?

Ramki, Delhi
9/D-66
Feb 24, 2013
12:39 PM

Bonita 

What Raja can reveal more which Indians do not know already ??  

Hindustan Newsappers' link given by you .Indians know already that too as TV Anchor after Anchor had bared the links of all including the mighty ones.

The only fresh news can now be if some one is left clean in this shamefull scam .There is none ! 

ASHOK KUMAR GHAI
Mumbai, India
8/D-59
Feb 24, 2013
10:02 AM

 Today's The Hindu leads with - "UPA has reason to feel nervous about Raja’s offer to testify before JPC"

“Individuals” he wishes to highlight would potentially include Manmohan, Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee,,,,,

.... it appears the UPA members in the JPC will continue to do everything in their power to quickly wrap up the proceedings without giving Opposition experts such as Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta, and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Yashwant Sinha and Ravi Shankar Prasad a chance to question and use Mr. Raja’s contradicting testimony to re-insist that the PM and Mr. Chidambaram be called as witnesses.

Over to PC "Shinde was right about Hindu Terror" Chacko to do his job. Is it his duty to the nation in getting to the bottom or his duty to his patrons in making sure the truth does not emerge?

Bonita, Chennai
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