2G spectrum scam

Political parties have historically had a complicated relationship with CAG reports, intensifying around elections. The reports have been used both as ammunition by the opposition and concealed by ruling parties. Key examples include the 2G and coal block 'scams' which led to UPA's downfall.

Stocks of telecom companies under investigation by CBI in the 2G scam witnessed heavy selling on Monday with companies like DB Realty, RCOM, Unitech and Videocon coming close to their all-time or near 52-week low levels.

AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa on Sunday appealed to party cadres to launch a 20-day state-wide protest campaign from January 27 to expose the 2G spectrum scam.

The 2G spectrum scam and spiralling prices of onions took the backseat for a day as Chennaiites bid a spirited adieu to 2010. Revellers got out of their homes rather early in the evening and traffic on city's roads started building up as the celebrations to welcome 2011 gathered momentum.

In an indication that the Congress is worried about the 2G spectrum scam turning into a big issue with the public, the party is now reaching out to its MPs, MLAs and workers in the states to bolster its dwindling image.

The CBI has a daunting task in the investigations into the 2G spectrum scam, having set for itself a deadline of three months to file a chargesheet in the case.

A few of the accused in the 2G spectrum scam used the time in the court to steal some private moments with their loved ones.

Kanimozhi stepped into political limelight four years ago when she and Fr Jegath Gasper Raj of the NGO Tamil Maiyyam organised the first Chennai Sangamam, a street festival to promote traditional Tamil art and culture.

Terming Kanimozhi's arrest in the 2G spectrum scam as a vendetta against his party and family, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Sunday said his daughter's only crime was being a shareholder of 'Kalaignar TV'.

A trial court on Thursday referred to the plea of Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy and said he should be made a prosecutor in the 2G spectrum scam to the proposed special court for hearing of the case.

A separate court should be formed for the speedy trial of cases related to terrorism and corruption, said former Supreme Court judge Shivraj Patil, the one-man committee that probed the procedural lapses leading to the 2G spectrum scam.

Toeing his new ally AIADMK's line, DMDK leader actor Vijayakanth on Sunday demanded that M Karunanidhi resign as chief minister to facilitate a fair investigation by the CBI into the 2G spectrum scam.

BJP sharply attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday saying his personal honesty was of little use as he presided over a dishonest government and deplored Singh's “grudging” acceptance of a joint parliamentary committee on the 2G spectrum scam.

CBI, which is probing the 2G spectrum scam, has reportedly sought telecom regulator Trai’s help to ascertain the loss to the government in allocation of spectrum to all operators between 2001 and 2008.

The DMK general council will meet on Thursday, a day after its propaganda secretary and former Union telecom minister A Raja was arrested by the CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

The CBI and Bharti chairman Sunil Mittal locked horns in the Supreme Court on Thursday as the agency repeatedly requested assigning hearing on the corporate czar’s plea against trial court’s decision to summon him as an accused in excess spectrum grant case to a bench which monitored probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

The NDA would launch a countrywide campaign from December 22 against the Congress-led UPA at the Centre for refusing to honour the opposition's demand in Parliament for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum scam that is worth Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

The Enforcement Directorate has initiated the second round of questioning of telecom firms as part of its probe into the multi-crore 2G spectrum scam.

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed distress over what it called "distorted" coverage of its order seeking an affidavit on the prime minister's behalf on alleged delay in processing of request for grant of sanction to prosecute then telecom minister A Raja in the 2G spectrum scam.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the 2G spectrum scam would not have taken place had he been the prime minister.

Breaking his silence over the 2G spectrum scam, Union textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran on Saturday said there was no controversy over spectrum allocation during his tenure.

The Videocon Telecommunications Ltd., which was planning to launch its telecom services in Andhra Pradesh shortly, is shutting down its AP operations even as it remains uncertain whether it would lose its licence as recommended by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) following the 2G spectrum scam.

The Supreme Court-monitored 2G spectrum scam probe is making good progress. On Tuesday, an SC Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly expressed satisfaction with CBI's investigations, saying that they prima facie appeared to be going in the right direction.

The much-delayed meeting of the joint parliamentary committee on 2G spectrum scam is expected to take place in June amid sharp differences between members over its controversial draft report which gave a clean chit to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the finance minister.

Special: 2G spectrum scam

Kanimozhi has become quite popular with her fellow inmates. She lends a patient hearing to their problems and escalate them to jail authorities.

Former telecom minister Raja, ex-telecom secy Behura, Raja's former PA Chandolia, and telecom promoter Balwa are among the accused.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has sent a reminder to telecom regulator TRAI asking it to assess the exact loss to the government in allocation of spectrum to private telecom companies between 2001 and 2008.

CBI special director V K Gupta, who supervised probe in 2G spectrum and Commonwealth Games scams, on Monday retired from service.