The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that probes matters relating to allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum since 1998 has decided to summon the former telecom minister, Mr A. Raja, to hear his version on the scam.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member on the panel, Mr Thiruchi Shiva, demanded in a meeting of the panel on Wednesday that Mr Raja should be allowed to present his views on the issue.
The former Department of Telecom Secretary, Mr Sidharth Behura, has also been summoned before the panel. He will depose before the panel on April 11. The former Telecom Secretary, Mr P.J. Thomas, and the present Telecom Secretary, Mr R. Chandrashekhar, will also brief the panel in April. The date for Mr Raja's hearing will be decided later.
All former ministers too
Both Mr Raja and Mr Behura are lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the 2G spectrum scam. The committee's chairman, Mr P.C. Chacko, said the panel would write to Tihar jail authorities to make available Mr Raja and Mr Behura for a presentation before the panel.
Mr Chacko told Business Line that all former Telecom Ministers will be summoned before the panel.
“There is a demand in the panel to summon all former Telecom Ministers. As soon as we finish hearing of bureaucrats, we will start summoning politicians.” He said there was a demand in the committee to summon Mr Raja ahead of other Ministers.