The former minister at the heart of potentially one of the biggest corruption cases in Indian history said Wednesday he had already been "tried and convicted" by the media. Former telecom minister A. Raja quit last month over the scandal involving the sale of second-generation (2G) mobile phone licences that India's chief auditor has said cost the public treasury up to 40 billion dollars.
"I stand condemned, charge-sheeted, tried and convicted by the media," the lawyer for Raja told the Supreme Court. "My stock is so low that anything I say does not redeem my position," Raja said through his lawyer, T.R. Andhyarujina, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
The scandal has engulfed the ruling Congress party and is being seen by Indian commentators as the coalition government's most serious crisis during six years in power. The lawyer told the court the auditor's report was a "presumptive valuation of mind-boggling loss" that was totally "speculative." He said that in selling the licences Raja had only been following procedures established by previous ministers. Raja is accused of changing bidding rules to favour certain companies, many of which were ineligible, according to the auditor - allegations he denies.