Former telecom minister A. Raja and Etisalat DB’s vice chairman Shahid Balwa have been sent to judicial custody until 3 March, as a part of investigations into the 2G scam, according to local reports.
Indian authorities arrested Balwa in early February,…
Former telecom minister A. Raja and Etisalat DB’s vice chairman Shahid Balwa have been sent to judicial custody until 3 March, as a part of investigations into the 2G scam, according to local reports.
Indian authorities arrested Balwa in early February, on allegations of wrongdoing in the scandal back in 2008. India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had previously said that Etisalat DB, as well as other companies, benefited from the scam.
Raja stepped down in November last year following allegations of favouritism in the allocations of underpriced 2G spectrum to telecom operators, which reportedly cost the government US$40bn. He was arrested in early February.
Both Raja and Balwa have denied any wrongdoing.
Last week, the CBI questioned the chairman of the ADAG conglomerate, Anil Ambani over the issuance of a dual technology licence to Reliance Communications and its alleged relationship with Swan Telecom.
Reliance Communications is part of Ambani’s ADAG conglomerate. According to newspapers, Reliance also has a 9.87% equity stake in Swan Telecom.
