'Top netas want Raja silenced'

Updated On: 18 November, 2010 09:35 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar

Janata party president Subramanian Swamy writes to PM asking for security for former telecom minister; says leaders want him killed to prevent their names getting exposed

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Janata party president Subramanian Swamy has alleged that the country's top politicians are looking to silence former Telecom Minister A Raja "forever" to stop him from letting out the skeletons in their closet with regard to the 2G spectrum scam.

Swamy, who had moved the Supreme Court seeking sanction to prosecute Raja, told MiD DAY that the major share of graft from the scam went to top leaders of the DMK and Congress, while the ousted minister got only a pittance. He wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday and asked for high-level security for Raja.

Highlighting the sensitivity of the situation, he has said in his letter that some people were trying to silence Raja "forever" since he was the key to a lot of "embarrassing" information for "some of those in power".

"I have authentic information that two women from Dubai have already contacted professional killers and we must stop them now," said Swamy. "Otherwise, we will be losing a vital link that would lead to startling revelations."

Not underworld
Swamy said it was not the underworld based in Dubai that was targeting Raja, but the politicians.

"The top leaders had assured Raja that they would protect him before they hatched the scam and now they have let him down.
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A ditched Raja is a serious threat for them and they are planning to eliminate him before he spills the details," said Swamy.

When MiD DAY asked him for names, he said, "Don't ask, it is dangerous for you. However, you will be shocked to know the names because they are all gracious faces of the major political parties."

Asked to comment on the involvement of Tamil Nadu CM and DMK president M Karunanidhi, Swamy said, "Don't probe further. I have not taken names."

Swamy dropped hints on the leaders who were part of the scam but he said he would reveal them publicly only "at an appropriate time".

When MiD DAY spoke to intelligence agencies in the state, they said that they have not received any inputs of a threat to Raja's life.

On Swamy's complaint, SC questions PM's silence over Raja
The Supreme Court on Tuesday took exception to the 12-month-long "inaction" and "silence" of PM Manmohan Singh on former MP Subramanian Swamy's complaint seeking sanction for action against former telecom minister A Raja over the 2G spectrum scam.

The Prime Minister could have said that material on record was insufficient and declined the sanction, said the Apex Court Bench of Justice G S Singhvi and Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly.

"The alleged inaction and silence is worrying us," said the honourable justices.

Swamy said he had written to the Prime Minister seeking sanction to prosecute Raja under the Prevention of Corruption Act in November 2008, but the reply from the PM came only in March 2010.

Flutter

>>While the news of the threat on his life caused a flutter in political circles, A Raja was seen at the wedding reception of Karunanidhi's grandson in Madurai yesterday.
>>A source overheard Karunanidhi jokingly tell Raja, "Don't worry you are safe."

The Other Side

>>Congress General Secretary B K Hariprasad said, "I don't know what Subramanian Swamy has said exactly. But, we don't need to react to people like him."
>>Siddaramaiah, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state, said.
>>"The whole issue is related to national politics. The Congress high command will look into it."
>>Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi's daughter and DMK MP, refused to comment on the issue.