A. Raja
Encyclopedia
Andimuthu Raja (born May 10, 1963, Perambalur
Perambalur
Perambalur is a district headquarters and a taluk and municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Perambalur District came in to existence after trifurcation of Tiruchirappalli district with effect from 30.09.1995.- Geography :...

, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

, India) is an Indian politician from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...

(DMK) political party. He was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha
15th Lok Sabha
Members of the 15th Lok Sabha were elected in 2009 during the General Elections in India.- Important members :* Speaker: Meira Kumar, Indian National Congress, Sasaram, Bihar...

 representing the Nilgiris
Nilgiris (Lok Sabha constituency)
Nilgiris is a Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu. The seat is reserved for scheduled castes.-Assembly segments:Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments :#Mettupalayam#Avanashi...

 constituency of Tamil Nadu.

In 2011, TIME magazine listed Mr. Raja's 2G spectrum scam
2G spectrum scam
The 2G spectrum scandal involved officials in the government of India illegally undercharging mobile telephony companies for frequency allocation licenses, which they would use to create 2G subscriptions for cell phones...

 as number two on their “Top 10 Abuses of Power” list (just behind the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...

).

Controversial Resignations

On October 17, 2008 he submitted his post-dated resignation to the D.M.K party chief M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...

 over the killings of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. His resignation was a part of the mass resignation of all the D.M.K ministers forming a parts of the coalition UPA central government.

On November 14, 2010, he announced that he would step down from his cabinet post, over the 2G spectrum allocation scandal.

2G Spectrum scandal

The 2G spectrum financial scandal in the Telecommunications and IT Ministry under A. Raja is noteworthy as the largest political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...

 case in modern Indian history, amounting to a record $40 billion loss from underpricing
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...

 to the Government of India. The alleged modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...

 was telecom bandwidth being grossly undervalued and offered to a chosen few with vested interests, on a dubious 'First-Come-First-Served' basis. It is alleged that it should have been put under a transparent auction system, purportedly advised by higher office.

The bandwidth-spectrum allocation of 2G
2G
2G is short for second-generation wireless telephone technology. Second generation 2G cellular telecom networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland by Radiolinja in 1991...

 bandwidth had later come under criticism for gross irregularities. An FIR
First Information Report
A First Information Report or FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India, Pakistan and Japan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First...

 filed by the CBI
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...

 claims that the allocation was not done as per market prices, resulting in a scam worth . However it had been alleged by Arun Jaitley
Arun Jaitley
Arun Jaitley is a prominent Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the largest Opposition party in India...

 of Bhartiya Janata Party that the scam is worth around . The Comptroller and Auditor General holds Raja personally responsible for the sale of 2G spectrum at 2001 rates in 2008, resulting the previously mentioned loss of up to Rs. 1.76 lakh crores (US$40 billion) to the national exchequer. In August, 2010, evidence was submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) showing that Raja had personally signed and approved the majority of the questionable allocations. Although the political opposition was demanding his resignation over the 2G spectrum scam, Raja initially refused to resign stating his innocence, and this view was backed by his party president M.Karunanidhi.

The financial scam eventually led to Raja's resignation on the 14th of November, 2010. There will be further criminal investigation and action on Raja with reports being filed by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In 2011, the results of an investigation by retired judge Shivraj Patil, who was appointed by current telecom minister Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal is an Indian politician and lawyer. He is currently the Minister of Communications and Information Technology. He also held the two ministries Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences in the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet...

, has also found Raja to have been directly responsible for "procedural lapses" regarding the spectrum scandal. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate estimate that Raja could have made as much as Rs 3,000 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....

 from the alleged bribes.
In January and February 2011, Raja's homes and offices were raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Computers were reportedly seized as part of the evidence that the CBI plans to present against him. Raja and two former associates were arrested on February 2, 2011. The 3 have been taken to Patiala House Courts for enquiries by the CBI on 3 February 2011 After the end of his custody with CBI, Raja was sent to Tihar Jail
Tihar Jail
Tihar Prisons , also called Tihar Jail and Tihar Ashram , is the largest complex of prisons in South Asia. It is located at Tihar village, approximately 7 km from Chanakya Puri, to the west of New Delhi, India. The surrounding area is called Hari Nagar.The prison is maintained as a...

 for judicial custody until March 3, 2011. His stay in the Tihar Jail was then extended, first to March 17 and then to March 31.under judicial custody.

He was later backed by his party DMK after his arrest and in general meeting in Chennai party passed a resolution in favor of Raja stating that until charges are proven he is not guilty.

Arrest and chargesheet

On February 2, 2011, the CBI arrested Raja. The CBI also arrested R. K. Chandolia, Raja's personal aide, and Siddharth Behura, the former Telecom Secretary. Both Raja and R.K. Chandolia are heard in conversation with Niira Radia in the released Radia tapes.

See also

  • List of politicians in India charged with corruption
  • Sadiq Batcha
    Sadiq Batcha
    Sadiq Batcha was the Managing Director of Green House Promoters Private Limited.- Early life :Sadiq Batcha born in Tamil Nadu's Karur district, has three brothers...

  • M. K. Kanimozhi
  • Suresh Kalmadi
    Suresh Kalmadi
    Suresh Kalmadi is an Indian politician and senior sports administrator. He was formerly a member of the Indian National Congress...


External links

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