The slapping of a sterner provision of criminal breach of trust by the CBI in the 2G case against former communications minister A. Raja and two senior officers serving under him has virtually given a new dimension to the entire matter: as the charge amounts to acknowledging a huge loss to the national exchequer.
The other implication of the addition of the new charge under Section 409 Indian Penal Code is that it provides for imposition of the maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the accused, if convicted, while under the charges filed earlier under the anti-corruption law, the maximum sentence was seven years in jail.
The language of the CBI application is also significant as it says that Mr Raja, his former private secretary R.K. Chandolia and former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura “had dominion over valuable 2G spectrum in their respective capacities as public servants”.
“The accused public servants, in pursuance of a conspiracy with other accused dishonestly disposed off the valuable 2G spectrum illegally and in violation of existing polices and the eligibility criterion, in order to confer wrongful gain to corporate honchos,” it stated.
Senior lawyers with strong links to the DMK expressed surprise at the CBI’s move to add such a serious charge at a stage when special judge O.P. Saini is set to deliver his order on the framing of charges.