2G spectrum: Shourie likely to be questioned tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Former Telecom Minister ArunShourie is likely to appear before the CBI for questioningtomorrow in connection with the agency''s probe into possiblecriminal aspects in the telecom policy since 2001.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had approachedShourie, a senior BJP leader, early this month asking him toappear before it in connection with the Preliminary Enquiry(PE) registered by the agency following a direction from theSupreme Court.

Shourie had held the telecom portfolio between January2003 and May 2004 in the NDA regime.

The PE was registered against "unknown persons" withan aim to ascertaining as to whether or not the"first-come-first-serve basis" provision passed by the thenCabinet led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was followed, officialssaid.

The CBI is likely to go into the minutes of themeetings held by successive Telecom Ministers which includelate Pramod Mahajan, Shourie and Dayanidhi Maran of DMK.

According to the CBI, nearly 50 licences were givenout on the first-come-first-serve basis and Bharti, Vodafoneand Idea were among the beneficiaries of the policy.

The CBI would go into the documents of the companieswho have been awarded the contracts.

The Supreme Court had on December 16 last yeardirected the agency to widen its investigation to cover thegrant of licences by both the NDA and the UPA regimes between2001-2007 and submit a report.