CBI raids Airtel, Vodafone offices

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The CBI raided the office premises of two telecom majors Airtel and Vodafone earlier today.

The raids followed the case on spectrum irregularities during the tenure of former telecom minister Pramod Mahajan.

The houses of former senior telecom officials including former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh are being searched.

The CBI conducted simultaneous raids at their offices at Gurgaon, Mumbai and Lucknow.

Meanwhile, both the telecos clarified that they are supporting the officials in investigation. Airtel, however, said that spectrum allocation was in accordance with rules.

Speaking to CIOL, Dharini Mishra, CBI spokesperson said these raids are in connection with the FIR registered by CBI yesterday.

"The FIR was filed in connection with the additional spectrum allocation when Pramod Mahajan was the telecom minister. The CBI raided the offices of Airtel and Vodafone in Gurgaon and Mumbai. The residence of former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh and DDG J R Gupta were raided," she said.

It is alleged that few telecos, including Airtel and Vodafone got favors from the Union telecom ministry, and hence there was a phenomenal subscribers' growth during that period.