Raja's close aide Sadiq Batcha commits suicide

Former telecom minister A Raja's close associate Sadiq Batcha allegedly committed suicide in Chennai on Wednesday. His body was taken to Chennai's Apollo Hospital where the doctors declared him dead. His body was then taken to the Government Hospital in Royapeta for postmortem.Batcha was the Managing Director of a real estate company Green House Promoters, alleged to be a front company for Raja."At 1.20 pm he was found hanging in his room by his wife Banu who rushed him to the Apollo Hospital where we was declared brought dead. We are yet to commence investigations. His wife is yet to lodge a formal complaint. Once she does we will start our investigations. We haven't searched the house yet. The house is locked and we have kept it guarded," said Chennai Police Commissioner T Rajendran.

Batcha's family members say he went to his room at around 9 am on Wednesday and they thought he had gone for a bath. But when he did not come out of his room till 12 noon they went inside and found him hanging. When all attempts to revive him failed they then took him to hospital where he was declared 'brought dead on arrival'.

However, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, who is a petitioner in the 2G case, expressed doubts over Batcha committing suicide.

"Murder and suicide will be a part of this case as lots of big people are involved. Their money, career and reputation is at stake. Sadiq was not a weak heart. He was a hard boiled character. I want to be doubly sure on whether it is a suicide or not," said Swamy.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had questioned him in connection with 2G spectrum scam on February 24. Raja's wife MA Parameshwari was a director in Green House Promoters. Batcha could have provided investigating agencies with vital clues linking Raja to the scam.

Batcha was likely to be questioned by the CBI again in the case and was reportedly coming to Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.

However, CBI officials say that Batcha's death would not hamper investigation as he was just a suspect but not a key player.

Investigators suspected that Batcha floated Green House Promoters to bring in the bribe money. Batcha hailed from Raja's hometown of Peramballur and. His Chennai-based offices and residence has been raided by the CBI on December 15, 2010 in connection with the 2G scam.

While Raja's wife resigned in June 2008 but his other close relatives, RP Parameshkumar (Raja's nephew) and A Kaliyaprumal (Raja's brother) continue to be on the directors list.

Green House was setup in August 2004, just a few weeks after Raja became environment minister in UPA-1.

In 2007, as Raja became the telecom minister, Green House opened its branch in Singapore. The CBI was investigating whether Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Reserve Bank of India guidelines were followed for setting up the foreign arm and subsequent money transfers between the company and its Singapore arm.

Investigating agencies were also looking into how a company that was formed with a capital of Rs 1 lakh in 2004 soared to revenues of over Rs 600 crore in just five years.