2G scam: Raja's ex-aide Achary stands by statement

A key 2G case witness and ex-aide of A Raja on Monday told a Delhi court that the former telecom minister was in touch with Swan Telecom promoters, Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra and had cleared their projects during his stint with ministry of environment and forests in 2004-07.

Aseervartham Achary, Raja's former additional private secretary, told Special CBI Judge O P Saini these three corporate executives, also accused in the 2G case, used to meet Raja and his ex-private secretary R K Chandolia to pursue their cases with the environment ministry.

Achary, testifying as seventh prosecution witness, stood by his earlier statements and said that he was attached with Raja from October 1999 to October 2008.

"The big construction projects cleared by Raja as minister of environment.. included Unitech, DB Realty and other companies. I do not know the procedure for making such clearances as I was not involved in these clearances.

"As far as Unitech is concerned, Sanjay Chandra and as far as DB Realty is concerned, Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka used to follow up. They used to meet Raja and Chandolia on regular basis to pursue their cases in Ministry of Environment and Forests...," Achary said, adding, they also used to visit

Raja's official residence during September-December 2007.

He identified Raja's signatures on two letters of November 2, 2007, addressed to the Prime Minister and said one of the letters was dictated and typed at the official residence of Raja after 9 pm.

"This letter (second letter) was dictated and typed at the official residence of Raja after 9 pm and before 11.30 pm. It is not usual for me to remain present at official residence of Raja at these hours. I was called to his residence by Raja over phone," he said.