Chidambaram dismisses allegations on 2G issue

Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday dismissed allegations that he was a beneficiary in the 2G scam and termed statements attributed to a former Reliance Industries employee in this regard as "totally false and per se defamatory".

In a signed statement, he also said that a conversation between the RIL employee K Ramachandran Raja and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia is "reckless and malicious gossip".

The statement comes in the wake of BJP demanding his resignation citing a news report that claimed that Chidambaram was a beneficiary in the 2G spectrum scam on the basis of a telephonic conversation between former Telecom Minister A Raja and Radia.

Chidambaram said sections of the media have carried a report on a conversation between ''Raja'' and Niira Radia. It has also been reported that a recording of that conversation exists.

"I have made some enquiries. I have learned that the ''Raja'' who figures in the conversation is one Shri K Ramachandran Raja (Shri K R Raja), an employee of M/s Reliance Industries Limited.

"The statements attributed to the said K Ramachandran Raja are totally false and per se defamatory. The conversation between him and Ms Radia is reckless and malicious gossip," he said.

The Home Minister said a legal notice has been issued on his behalf to the said K Ramachandran Raja demanding an unconditional apology.

"I know that my friend Shri Prakash Javadekar, spokesperson of the BJP, will be disappointed. I offer him my sympathies," he said.