In a move that could spell more trouble for communications & IT minister A Raja, investigating agency CBI has begun inquiring into what might have led the department of telecommunications to disregard then law minister HR Bhardwaj’s opinion on the procedure for granting new telecom licences and, instead, directly approach then solicitor-general Goolam Vahanvati for his views. Was Vahanvati aware that the law minister had already furnished written opinion that was contrary to his advice? These are some of the questions to which CBI is seeking answers. Sources said the questioning of junior officers at DoT prompted CBI to investigate the serious procedural lapse by DoT and Vahanvati, who is now attorney general. In November 2007, DoT sought the law ministry’s views on whether new licences should be granted through auctions or on a first-cum-first-served basis at prices discovered in 2001. Its opinion was clear: either conduct auctions or explore a new mechanism through a group of ministers. The law ministry explicitly opposed granting licences at 2001 prices and asked DoT to keep it informed about the final decision.

Then DoT secretary DS Mathur and telecom commission member-finance Manju Madhavan concurred with the law ministry’s views and had differences with Raja on the subject. Now, CBI will seek details from them, as well as recently retired DoT secretary Siddhartha Behura, during whose tenure the licences were allocated. Raja disagreed with the law ministry’s views and later sought an opinion from Vahanvati, who said there was no need for auctions.