It is not unknown in history that a person who did revolution is tainted as a criminal: A Raja
ET Bureau|
Updated: Dec 22, 2017, 07.08 AM IST
Former telecom minister A Raja said he had revolutionised the industry and felt vindicated after a special court acquitted him of all charges in the 2G scam.
"I brought a revolution in the telecom sector. It is not unknown in history that a person who did revolution is tainted as a criminal," said Raja, who was given a clean chit along with DMK lawmaker Kanimozhi and 16 others by a special court on Thursday.
"It has been repeatedly proven that the presumptive loss to the exchequer, which formed the basis of the conspiracy theorists to run amok, was cooked up," added the former telecom minster.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alleged that 122 licences bundled with startup spectrum were sold in 2008 at prices determined in 2001, leading to a loss of Rs 30,984 crore when compared with 2010 auction prices.
The Comptroller and Auditor General had estimated the loss to the exchequer at Rs 1.76 lakh crore. The Supreme Court had scrapped the 122 licences in 2012, saying that the first-come, first-served basis of spectrum allotment in 2008 had been faulty.
Raja blamed vested interests that manipulated public perception by leveraging the media and sensationalized fabricated allegations, in the scam which rocked the telecom industry in 2011 and was key to the previous government's defeat three years later.
"All my actions has been for the benefit of the masses, to make wireless service more economical and widely available, in line with the National Telecom Policy and the recommendations of the Telecom Authority of India (Trai) ," the former minister added.
The 2G scam tainted the Congress led United Progressive Alliance government, which found it impossible to shake off the label of corruption as other scandals erupted.
This birthed an anti-corruption movement that gave rise to the Aam Aadmi Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) then turned it into a powerful campaign plank that helped it defeat the UPA and ride to power in 2014.
"I have felt somewhat vindicated all along even prior to the judgment because the beneficial results of my actions are evident to and being enjoyed by the nation's public (specially the poor)," said the former telecom minister in his statement.
The ex-minister said he had cooperated with the authorities and had offered himself to be cross questioned by the CBI, which he added, was an unusual process for criminal trials in India.
"The learned trial judge has repeatedly observed that my evidence was cogent, credible and consistent with official records, in contrast with the evidence of the prosecution witness whose evidence has been rejected as untrustworthy," said Raja in his statement.
"I brought a revolution in the telecom sector. It is not unknown in history that a person who did revolution is tainted as a criminal," said Raja, who was given a clean chit along with DMK lawmaker Kanimozhi and 16 others by a special court on Thursday.
"It has been repeatedly proven that the presumptive loss to the exchequer, which formed the basis of the conspiracy theorists to run amok, was cooked up," added the former telecom minster.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alleged that 122 licences bundled with startup spectrum were sold in 2008 at prices determined in 2001, leading to a loss of Rs 30,984 crore when compared with 2010 auction prices.
The Comptroller and Auditor General had estimated the loss to the exchequer at Rs 1.76 lakh crore. The Supreme Court had scrapped the 122 licences in 2012, saying that the first-come, first-served basis of spectrum allotment in 2008 had been faulty.
Raja blamed vested interests that manipulated public perception by leveraging the media and sensationalized fabricated allegations, in the scam which rocked the telecom industry in 2011 and was key to the previous government's defeat three years later.
"All my actions has been for the benefit of the masses, to make wireless service more economical and widely available, in line with the National Telecom Policy and the recommendations of the Telecom Authority of India (Trai) ," the former minister added.
The 2G scam tainted the Congress led United Progressive Alliance government, which found it impossible to shake off the label of corruption as other scandals erupted.
This birthed an anti-corruption movement that gave rise to the Aam Aadmi Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) then turned it into a powerful campaign plank that helped it defeat the UPA and ride to power in 2014.
"I have felt somewhat vindicated all along even prior to the judgment because the beneficial results of my actions are evident to and being enjoyed by the nation's public (specially the poor)," said the former telecom minister in his statement.
The ex-minister said he had cooperated with the authorities and had offered himself to be cross questioned by the CBI, which he added, was an unusual process for criminal trials in India.
"The learned trial judge has repeatedly observed that my evidence was cogent, credible and consistent with official records, in contrast with the evidence of the prosecution witness whose evidence has been rejected as untrustworthy," said Raja in his statement.
