Behura allowed to appear before JPC on July 12

Former Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura, presently lodged in Tihar jail and facing trial for his alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam, has been allowed by a Delhi court to appear on July 12 before the Joint Parliamentary Committee probing it.

"It is prayed that permission may be granted for his (Behura) appearance before the JPC. The prayer is allowed. Jail Superintendent is directed to produce accused Siddhartha Behura before the JPC on July 12 at 11 am in safe custody," Special CBI Judge OP Saini said.

The court also exempted him from personal appearance before it on July 12.

The court's order came after a letter dated June 25 was received from the Tihar Jail regarding Behura's appearance before the JPC.

Behura was arrested by the CBI on February 2 along with former Telecom Minister A Raja and his personal secretary R K Chandolia and stands accused of charges of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct.

Behura was secretary in the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) from January 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009 and has been accused of colluding with Raja in rigging the selection of licence awardees.

He has, however, maintained that he was merely a civil servant who implemented a decision taken by the minister(Raja) before he became the DoT secretary.