Skirting the issue of ownership of a Dwarka flat during the initial days of his cross-examination, star prosecution witness in the 2G scam Aseervatham Achary on Wednesday told a Delhi court that the house belonged to his sister-in-law, even as he denied it was his “benami” property. Achary, the ex-additional private secretary of former communications minister A. Raja, who had been giving a real tough time to the defence counsels by not taking the bait on any issue, said the Dwarka flat, where he had stayed for more than two years belonged to the “daughter of my mother-in-law”. “My mother-in-law Ms Subbalakshmi and the owner of flat in Dwarka (who is also Subbalakshmi) are different ladies. The owner of the house is the daughter of my mother-in-law, that is, my wife’s sister,” Achary said while being cross examined by Vijay Aggarwal — the advocate of R.K. Chandolia, who was Raja’s private secretary and an accused in the case.
Achary, however, said, “It is wrong to suggest that Dwarka property is my benami (property without a name) property in the name of my sister-in-law.”
Referred to as a “mighty witness” by the defence counsels, Achary was accused by Raja’s advocate Sushil Kumar of purchasing the flat in the name of his mother-in-law on the basis of power of attorney. Achary had denied the allegation. He had said, “I was not owner of the flat in Dwarka. The Dwarka flat was owned by Ms Changalwala Subbalakhsmi.”
It is incorrect to suggest that Dwarka flat was purchased in the name of my mother-in-law on the basis of power of attorney. I am not aware if in the Railway Board directory this continues to be my address even now.”
Achary did not mention that the woman he had referred to as the owner was his sister-in-law.
“I shifted to Dwarka, Neelanchal Apartments, flat number D-202, plot no 3, Sector 4, in 2008. I was not owner of the flat in Dwarka. The Dwarka flat was owned by Ms Changalwala Subbalakhsmi,” he had said. Achary said he did not remember if Raja had discussed telecom issues with Mr Mukherjee and Mr Chidambaram before writing letters to the PM.
rime Minister Manmohan Singh in November and December 2007 on issues related to spectrum auctioning.