Swamy demands CBI probe into spectrun allocation issue

Chennai, Nov 22 (UNI) Alleging that Union Minister A Raja had caused a loss of Rs 50,000 crore to the Centre on spectrum allocation, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy today demanded a CBI probe into it.

Talking to reporters here, he said Mr Raja had ignored the Prime Minister's announcement during a FICCI conference last year that licences would only be auctioned and had allotted the spectrum to inexperienced firms like Swan and Unitech.

''The government had lost Rs 50,000 crore due to this,'', Dr Swamy claimed, adding only a CBI probe would unravel the truth.

He said he had also written a letter to the Prime Minister to order a probe, failing which he would move the Supreme Court in this regard.

The practice of first come first serve basis on licence allotment was cancelled by the previous NDA government, he noted.

Stating that Swan and Unitech, which were allocated spectrum, had no experience in telecom field, Dr Swamy said the six operators who were allotted spectrum licences had sold the share of their telecom companies to foreigners by fixing higher rates.

He also demanded a CBI inquiry to ensure a fair probe in the malegaon blasts case alleging that the government was ''selectively leaking'' the probe details.

To a question, he alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had taken up the family issue involving his estranged grandnephews Marans only to divert the people's attention from various pressing issues confronting the state.

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