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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G spectrum case | 1/9 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G_spectrum_case | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T14:10:45.635270+00:00 | kb-cron |
The 2G spectrum case was a political controversy in which politicians and private officials of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition government in India were allegedly involved in selling or allotting 122 2G spectrum licenses on conditions that provided an advantage to specific telecom operators. A. Raja, then Telecom Minister, was accused of selling 2G spectrum licenses at a very low cost which resulted in the loss of ₹1,760 billion (US$25 billion) in government revenue. Raja was also accused of not following rules as well as not recognizing any advice from the Ministries of Finance and Law and Justice of India while allotting 2G spectrum licenses to telecom operators. Series of allegations were made on allotting 2G spectrum licenses including allegations from Central Bureau of Investigation after investigating the case alleging Raja for intentionally advancing the cut-off date (from 01/10/2007 to 25/09/2007) to favour specific firms (Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom), which were allegedly ineligible for applying for telecom licenses, in return for bribes. On 21 December 2017, a special court in New Delhi acquitted all accused in the 2G spectrum case including the prime accused Raja and Kanimozhi. The court ruled that the case was baseless. As per the judgement, "Some people created a scam by artfully arranging a few selected facts and exaggerating things beyond recognition to astronomical levels." On 19 and 20 March 2018, the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI respectively filed appeals against this verdict in the Delhi High Court. On 22 March 2024, Delhi High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma agreed that the trial court's judgement required deeper examination and re-appreciation of entire evidence and admitted the CBI's appeal. The High Court noted that there were several contradictions in the trial court's judgement.
== Background == India is divided into 22 telecommunications zones, with 281 zonal licenses. In 2008, 122 new second-generation 2G Unified Access Service (UAS) licenses were granted to telecom companies on a first-come, first-served basis at the 2001 price. According to the CBI charge sheet, several laws were violated and bribes were paid to favour certain firms in granting 2G spectrum licenses. According to a CAG audit, licenses were granted to ineligible corporations, those with no experience in the telecom sector (such as Unitech and Swan Telecom) and those who had concealed relevant information. Although former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advised Raja to allot 2G spectrum transparently and revise the license fee in a November 2007 letter, Raja rejected many of Singh's recommendations. In another letter that month, the Ministry of Finance expressed procedural concerns to the DOT; these were ignored, and the cut-off date was moved forward from 1 October to 25 September 2007. On 25 September 2007 the DOT announced on its website that applicants filing between 3:30 and 4:30 pm that day would be granted licenses. Although the policy for awarding licences was first-come, first-served, which was introduced during Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government, Raja changed the rules so it applied to compliance with conditions instead of the application itself. On 10 January 2008, companies were given only a few hours to supply Letters of Intent and payments; some executives were allegedly tipped off by Raja. Although the corporation was ineligible, Swan Telecom was granted a license for ₹15.37 billion (US$160 million) and sold a 45-percent share to the UAE-based Etisalat for ₹42 billion (US$440 million). Unitech Wireless (a subsidiary of the Unitech Group) obtained a license for ₹16.61 billion (US$180 million), selling a 60-percent share for ₹62 billion (US$660 million) to Norway-based Telenor. The following is a list of companies who received 2G licenses during Andimuthu Raja's term as telecom minister; the licenses were later cancelled by the Supreme Court:
== Accused parties == The selling of the licenses drew attention to three groups: politicians and bureaucrats, who had the authority to sell licenses; corporations buying the licenses, and professionals who mediated between the politicians and corporations.
=== Politicians === The following charges were filed by the CBI and the Directorate General of Income Tax Investigation in the Special CBI Court.
==== A. Raja ==== Political career: Four-time DMK member of Parliament (currently member of Lok Sabha from Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu), former Union Minister of State for Rural Development (1999) and Health and Family Welfare (2003), former Union Cabinet Minister for Environment and Forests (2004) and Communication and Information Technology (2007 and 2009) Allegation: A joint investigative report by the CBI and the Income Tax Department alleged that Raja may have received a ₹30 billion (US$320 million) bribe for moving the cut-off date for spectrum applications forward. The changed deadline eliminated many applications, enabling Raja to favour a few applicants. The agencies also alleged that he used accounts in his wife's name in Mauritius and Seychelles banks for the kickbacks. A CBI charge sheet alleged that Raja conspired with the accused and arbitrarily refined the first-come, first-served policy to ensure that Swan and Unitech received licences. Instead of auctioning 2G spectrum, he sold it at the 2001 rate. Charges: Criminal breach of trust by a public servant (section 409), criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B), cheating (Section 420) and forgery (Sections 468 and 471); booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for accepting illegal gratification. Status: Arrested by the CBI on 2 February 2011. Applied for bail on 9 May 2012, which was granted on 15 May.