2G scam: Raja blames PM, Chidambaram

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Transactions made in the allocation of 2G spectrum were known to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, former Communications Minister A. Raja alleged Monday.

"Telenor buying a stake in Unitech Wireless and Etisalat buying a stake in DB Realty — the Finance Minister approved it in the presence of the Prime Minister. Let the PM deny it," Raja told special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge O.P. Saini.

Raja, who is an accused in the corruption case and is behind bars, said the foreign direct investment (FDI) made in the scam were under the scanner of Finance Minister and the Prime Minister.

The CBI Saturday concluded its arguments on the framing of charges in the 2G phone spectrum case. Fourteen accused and three companies are charged with causing a loss of Rs. 30,984 crore to the exchequer by selling the scarce resource, also called radio frequency that helps carry telecom signals, to private players cheap.