CBI probing if 2G scam threatened country's security

The CBI has begun probing if the country's internal security too stood compromised due to the 2G spectrum allocation to ineligible telecom operators during former Telecom Minister A Raja's tenure, the agency told a Delhi court on Tuesday.

CBI told Special Judge Pradeep Chaddah that it has begun probing the threat to country's internal security as per the concerns raised Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who had come to the court seeking a probe into scam.

Swamy had also sought the court's direction to appoint him a public prosecutor to help the agency in probing the case and trying the accused.

The agency counsel said the CBI probe is also being monitored by the Supreme Court.

The court, however, put up the matter for further hearing on March 17 as Swamy could not appear before it on Tuesday as he was attending 2G Spectrum matter in the Supreme Court.

Swamy's lawyer Tarun Goomber sought exemption for his client from personal appearance for Tuesday, which the court allowed.

During the last hearing on February 22, the CBI had told the court that it was not aware of the threat to national security posed by allocation of 2G spectrum to some telecom firms which subsequently offloaded their shares to global firms with links to Pakistan, an issue raised by Swamy.

"We (CBI) are not aware of the details of national security aspect as raised by Swamy in his application as a copy of the complaint by him is not available with us," the CBI had told the court, adding that it had been probing the 2G spectrum allocation scam within the confines of the first information report registered by it.

Swamy, in his petition filed before the court, had said Swam Telecom and Unitech Wireless, which were allotted licensees, had sold their major shares to two foreign companies Etisalat DB and Telenor, which is "a major threat" to national security.

"The first two licensees, Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless, soon after the allocation of spectrum to them sold their controlling shares respectively to Etisalat DB and Telenor. The national security risk from these companies are highlighted by the Union Home Ministry as their connections go right into Pakistan," Swamy had alleged. During the hearing, Swamy also sought the court's direction to CBI to ask the Union Home Ministry, Research and Analysis Wing and other intelligence agencies to find out the bearings of 2G spectrum allocation scam on national security. On Swamy's plea, the court too had asked CBI to probe the national security concerns as raised by Swamy.