Raja didn't give consent for lie detector test: IO tells court

, Sep 4: Former Telecom Minister

had declined to undergo lie detector test, a CBI official who was part of the team probing the 2G spectrum case told a Delhi court today.

CBI's Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Chahal told this to the court when he was shown a memo of February 9, 2011 by the prosecutor during the recording of his statement as a prosecution witness.

"I have also been shown memo dated February 9, 2011 prepared by me. It bears my signature at point A and the same is now. This memo was prepared by me for obtaining consent of accused A Raja for lie detector test, which he declined. This memo bears the signature of A Raja at point B, who put this signature before me," Chahal told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

Raja, who is facing trial in the case, was arrested by the CBI on February 2, 2011 and he remained in CBI's custody till February 17, 2011. Raja was granted bail by the court on May 15 last year. Chahal, who is the first investigating officer (IO) to be examined as a witness, told the court that he was directed to assist Vivek Priyadarshi, the main IO, in the investigation of the case from October 2010 onwards.

"As per the directions of Vivek Priyadarshi from time to time, I examined and recorded statements of witnesses and collected documents through seizure memos and sometime through covering letters," Chahal, whose recording of statement would continue tomorrow, said.

PTI