CIC asks govt to release Vahanvati letter to Raja under RTI law

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the government to make public tenders by top law officers to the former telecom minister A Raja on 2G spectrum issues in 2007.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the government to make public tenders by top law officers to the former telecom minister A Raja on 2G spectrum issues in 2007.

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The solicitor general Goolam E Vahanvati's opinion was citied as a reason by Raja to go ahead with the 2G spectrum allocation on first come basis.

RTI activist Subhash Aggarwal had sought the opinion given by Vahanvati to Raja, which helped the latter to go ahead with the allocation despite objections by the prime minister’s office.

The law ministry has refused to provide information citing “fiduciary relationship” which the CIC accepted. But, then the CIC asked the law ministry to transfer the RTI application to the telecom ministry and provide information.

Raja had allegedly cited the discussion with Vahanvati to press his point before the prime minister so that he could go ahead with spectrum allocation vis-a-vis the advice of the prime minister, who asked him to wait for some days before taking action on the issue.

Raja, who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum scam, had written the letter in response to the prime minister's communique to him asking him to wait for some days before taking any action.