CBI registers disproportionate assets case against Raja

 Five years after registering a case in the 2G Spectrum allocation scam against former Telecom Minister A Raja, CBI today lodged a fresh case against him for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs 27.92 crore during the period of 11 years between 1999 and 2010.

Agency sources said the case was registered after the team investigating 2G spectrum case recently submitted a report to CBI, suggesting possibility of a disproportionate assets case against Raja.

They said the agency has moved the DA case against Raja and 16 others including his nephew Parmesh, wife Parameswari, his associate C Krishnamurthy who is also director of Kovai Shelters Pvt Limited, wife of Sadiq Basha, an alleged associate of Raja who had committed suicide, and Reha Banu, a director in Greenhouse Promoters which was earlier owned by Basha among others.

The sources said it is alleged in the FIR, registered in Chennai, that several of his close relatives and associates had "exponential financial growth under suspicious circumstances" and have acquired assets worth several crores "without sufficient wherewithal" during this period.

The agency has alleged that several immovable properties were acquired in the names of Greenhouse Promoters, Kovai Shelters private limited and Shivkamam Trading Limited.

"It has been further alleged that during the period 1999-2010, while serving as Member of Parliament and Union Minister for various Ministries, he had amassed assets and pecuniary resources to the tune of Rs.27.92 crores in his name and in the name of family members and his friends and other close associates which were disproportionate to his known and lawful sources of income," CBI spokesperson said.

CBI today carried out searches at 20 locations which included his house at A-33, Gulmohar Park here where Raja was also present.

Searches were also carried out at residential and official premises at six locations in Chennai, two in Coimbatore, eight in Perambalur and three in Tiruchirappalli, the sources said.

Calls made to his Gulmohar Park residence were not responded. Email sent seeking his reaction was also not replied.

CBI spokesperson said the searches led to recovery of several incriminating documents like financial statements, IT Returns, immovable property documents, bills, vouchers and invoices.

"Certain bank accounts and Fixed Deposits in the names of the accused have also been identified," she said.

The spokesperson said the FIR has been registered under section 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for possession of alleged assets disproportionate to the known sources of income and under section 109 of IPC for abetment of the said offence.

Raja was first elected to Lok Sabha from Perambalur constituency in 1996. Between October 1996 and September 2000 he was Minister of State Rural Development.

Between September, 2000 and December, 2003 during the tenure of National Democratic Alliance under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he was Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare. He was Cabinet Minister for Environment between 2004 and 2007 and Minister of Communication and Information Technology between 2007 and 2010.