CBI grills Radia, Raja may be next

The CBI questioned corporate lobbyist Niira Radia for four hours on Tuesday at her farmhouse in south Delhi on several issues, including her alleged role in the Rs 1.76-lakh-crore 2G spectrum scam. Rajesh Ahuja reports. Questions for Raja | Who is Niira Radia?

The CBI questioned corporate lobbyist Niira Radia for four hours on Tuesday at her farmhouse in south Delhi on several issues, including her alleged role in the Rs 1.76-lakh-crore 2G spectrum scam.

The CBI's move to hold the grilling session at Radia's farmhouse raised a few eyebrows, as the agency's summons on Monday had asked her to appear before the agency.

But CBI sources explained the notice was issued under section 160 of the CrPC, stipulating that a woman be questioned at her residence and before sundown. The CBI team arrived at 10am and left at around 2pm.

Former telecom minister A Raja may be questioned in the next "couple of days", although the venue is yet to be decided.

Radia is being questioned in connection with a case registered on October 21, 2009 against unknown officials of the department of telecom and private persons and companies for allegedly causing a Rs 22,000-crore loss to the exchequer.

Now that the CBI reportedly has enough evidence of a criminal conspiracy to get favours for a few telecom companies, the agency is focusing on how and when money changed hands.

The CBI sources said on condition of anonymity that Radia was asked about her bank transactions and her conversations.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which grilled her on allegations of money laundering last month, provided some leads to the CBI interrogators.

The sources said that after matching Radia's answers with documents recovered from her residence and offices and her taped conversations, the investigators would question her again.

The Supreme Court has asked the CBI and ED to submit a status report by February 10, when the 2G spectrum case will come up for hearing.