Raja to 'cooperate with CBI to prove innocence'

Former Union telecom minister A Raja on Saturday said he will cooperate with the Central Bureau of Investigation to prove his innocence in the wake of the probe agency conducting searches at the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham leader and his aides' residences in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

"It is a scrutiny. I will fully cooperate with the agency (CBI). Whatever be the procedure, I have to comply with it," he told mediapersons in Chennai on his arrival from Delhi.

On CBI raids at his residence as well as his aides in Delhi and Tamil Nadu, Raja said, "No one is above scrutiny. I am ready for any procedure. If anything is needed by CBI, I will cooperate. That is all I want to say."

On December 8, the CBI had conducted searches at Raja and his aides' residences in Delhi and Tamil Nadu, including the former union minister's native Perambalur district.

They also questioned Raja's key aide Sadiq Basha, besides conducting raids at the residences of the DMK leader's brother and sister at Tiruchirapalli and other relatives in Chennai.

The raids came a day after Raja's name surfaced in connection with an alleged attempt to influence a Madras high court Judge in a criminal case.

The court had suspended the chairman of Tamil Nadu Bar Council R K Chandramohan for allegedly attempting to influence the judge by taking Raja's name last year, when he was Union minister.

Raja had recently quit as Telecom Minister after the Comptroller and Auditor General quantified the losses caused in allocation of 2G spectrum at throwaway prices at around Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

Bharatiya Janata Party, Left and other opposition parties are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the issue and stalling proceedings in the Parliament.