JOIN USAfter registering a disproportionate assets (DA) case against former telecom minister A Raja and his family members, a team of the CBI sleuths on Wednesday conducted a series of raids at more than 20 places in Tamil Nadu and Delhi in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
Having come across assets which were disproportionate to the known sources of income of the former Union minister, the CBI carried out raids to access the properties connected to Raja, his family members and associates.
The raids on Raja’s properties in various places, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli and Perambalur districts besides New Delhi, were part of the probe and it is important to find out the properties and their value since this is a case of disproportionate assets, CBI sources said here.
According to an official statement by the CBI, "the investigation agency has registered a case against former Union minister and former Member of Parliament and 16 others including his wife, his relatives, a close associate and director of Perambalur-based (Tamil Nadu) private company and a private company based at Chennai of A Raja U/s 13 (2) r/w 13 (1)(e) of PC Act, 1988 for possession of alleged assets disproportionate to the known sources of income & U/s 109 of IPC for abetment of the said offence".
The CBI said it has been further alleged that during the period 1999-2010, while serving as the MP and Union minister for various ministries, Raja had amassed assets and pecuniary resources to the tune of Rs 27.92 crore (approx) in his name and in the name of family members and his friend which were disproportionate to his known and lawful sources of income.
Several of his close relatives and associates had allegedly acquired assets worth several crores of rupees without sufficient wherewithal during this period. Several immovable properties have been acquired in the names of his friends and family members and other private firms which are managed by close relatives and associates of the former minister.
Raids were also carried out at the premises of ‘Green House’, the office of Sadiq Batcha, a close aide of Raja and accused in the 2G spectrum allocation case, who was found dead in his house under mysterious circumstances in March 2011.