‘Tatas funded Unitech venture’ 2G: Anil Allegation In CBI Statement Was Not Probed

NewDelhi:In his statement to the CBI in the 2G spectrum case in February 2011, Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani had claimed that the "Tatas had funded Unitech's telecom applications and fee". The CBI said it did not investigate this allegation as it wasn't in the ambit of its 2G probe.      CBI officials also claimed that they had not insisted on making Anil and his wife Tina Ambani witnesses in the 2G trial. "It was special public prosecutor U U Lalit who decided to make them witnesses," a top CBI official said.      During his statement to the CBI on February 16, 2011, Ambani had said, "To the best of my understanding, Tatas had funded Unitech's telecom applications and fee. This money was to go in form of preference shares in Unitech, and is so mentioned in a Bombay High Court order, which I will provide."      He added, "It is learnt that after Niira Radia's interference, and her meeting with Shri Karunanidhi, along with Ratan Tata, it was reportedly decided that Tatas can also get dual technology. Accordingly, Unitech kept this application open and then sold their stake to M/s Telenor to create Uninor."      While talking about Trai recommendations, he said, "Now the recommendations about the price of spectrum, which have recently come in February 2011, the prices discovered through auction of 3G spectrum in 2010, which were earlier recommended for the current prices of 2G spectrum also, have been diluted as far as metro areas are concerned. Bharti, Idea and Vodafone will be benefitted out of it, as they got maximum excess spectrum since 2001 in metros and have been enjoying the same without paying any price for it."      Ambani talked about other beneficiaries as well, "As regards other beneficiaries, I state that M/s Etisalat and M/s Telenor, which invested in Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless respectively, money has come in the telecom company. Shivashankar of STel has got investment in STel through Middle East ie Bahrain Telecom, but it has come in the company. Earlier, in early days of telecom, Essar, Vodafone, Loop etc when they diluted their stakes the investments actually went to promoters, and not to telecom companies, as such."  ADAG man signals to witness, pulled up A special CBI court hearing the 2G spectrum allocation scam case on Wednesday pulled up a Reliance ADAG employee for allegedly trying to influence a prosecution witness during the recording of his evidence.      The court was anguished as the Reliance ADAG employee was allegedly "signalling" the witness to "say no" to a question. "Why are you (RADAG's employee) signalling to the witness? I have seen you giving signal to the witness to say no," special CBI judge O P Saini said. TNN Kanimozhi seeks quashing of charges N early two years after a trial court framed charges against her in the 2G spectrum scam case, DMK chief M Karunanidhi's daughter and RS MP Kanimozhi on Wednesday moved the SC seeking discharge from the case.      "The allegations against the petitioner pertained to financial transactions of Kalaignar TV between December 2008 and August 2009, that is after more than 18 months of her resignation from Kalaignar TV," her petition said. TNN CBI officials claimed they had not insisted on making Anil and Tina Ambani witnesses in the 2G trial