The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the 2G spectrum scam, will soon begin the process of attachment of properties allegedly acquired by telecom companies, chargesheeted by the CBI. The total cost of the illegally acquired properties is expected to be between `2,500 crores to `3,000 crores.
According to sources the process of attachment of properties will start from April 20. The CBI chargesheet named nine accused, including former telecom minister A. Raja and his associates. Besides, three telecom companies were also named in the chargesheet, including Unitech and Swan Telecom. The other accused named in the chargesheet are former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Mr Raja’s former personal secretary R.K. Chandolia and telecom promoter Shahid Balwa of Swan Telecom, Gautam Doshi, Virendra Titara & Hari Nayar (all three are from ADAG), Vinod Goenka (Swan Telecom), and Sanjay Chandra (Unitech).
“After attaching properties of the chargesheeted telecom companies, the agency will start identification of movable and immovable assets acquired by accused persons, chargesheeted by the CBI, allegedly by illegal means. The agency has decided to send a team of its officials to Chennai in this regard,” sources said.
The ED has also decided to probe the source of funding of certain estate companies, allegedly owned by associates of A Raja, sources said. The agency has collected sufficient documents, including bank transaction records of Chennai-based Green House promoters owned by Sadiq Batcha.