Lalith Modi is somewhere lurking.
NEW DELHI: Corporate lobbyist Niira Radiahas told the CBI that Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar may be controlling the controversial DB Realty and may have pursued the issue of spectrum and licence forSwan Telecom with former telecom minister A Raja.
In a statement to CBI, which has been filed as part of the chargesheet in the 2G scam, Radia says on being asked by a journalist how she knew about Pawar lobbying with Raja to get approvals for Swan, “That as per the general perception in Mumbai as well as outside DB Realties (sic) directly or indirectly (is) controlled by Sharad Pawar and his family members.”
Radia added that she had no “documentary proof or some other evidence” to back up her allegation. She, however, said Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka “are key persons in DB Realty”, and “in that background, I had quoted the name of Sharad Pawar who might have pursued the matter with Raja, then telecom minister, for showing (favour) to Swan as well as to Anil Ambani Reliance Communications in issuing of UAS (unified access service) licence and dual technology”.
Pawar has in the past denied having anything to do with the DB Realty group although Goenka has said that he has family links with the Maratha leader. Goenka`s Dynamix group has a large presence in Baramati, Pawar`s constituency.
Radia gave four separate statements to CBI, most of them dealing with the several phone conversations she had with various people including Ratan Tata, A Raja, Raja`s personal secretary R K Chandolia, several journalists and senior executives from various corporate houses. The conversations and her explanations before the investigation agency illustrates her proximity to Raja, Chandolia and many others.
The lobbyist also told CBI that former IAS officers Pradeep Baijal and C M Vasudev were given “sweat equity” of 10% each in her consulting firm. Baijal was TRAI chairman until March 2006, while Vasudev held several crucial posts in the finance ministry.
Sir, is it fair, is Sh. Pawar the only person to be blamed for all problems. Maybe his role is small or he neglected something. It goes without saying that many good things were done also. It is enough to watch his visit album http://picasaweb.google.com/GIISQueenstown/ICCPresidentMrSharadPawarVisitsGIIS to see how Pawar can be good role model for students. Catch the bigger fish first.
It seems that our attitude for tolerance to corruption based on some good things done by the politicians for us is also a cause for decay of Public Life.
There are no grey areas in honesty and integrity Either a man is corrupt or not.
Politicians do occasional good things for us as one would throw a piece of bone to a dog while he loots the house.