SC questions PM's silence over Raja

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took exception to 16-month-long "inaction" and "silence" of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on former MP Subramaniam Swamy's complaint seeking sanction for action against then telecom minister A. Raja over the 2G spectrum scam.

The Prime Minister could have said that material on record was insufficient and declined the sanction, said the apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi sand Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly.

"The alleged inaction and silence is worrying us," said the apex court said.

Swami said he had written to the Prime Minister seeking sanction to prosecute Raja under the Prevention of Corruption Act in November 2008, but the reply from the PM came only in March 2010.