New Delhi: Indian President Pratibha Patil, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has accepted the resignation of A. Raja from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect. Raja stepped down as the Telecom Minister on Sunday night in the wake of the alleged 2G spectrum scam.
The Comptroller and Auditor General report had alleged that the 2G spectrum scam caused a loss of Rs1.76 trillion (Dh143.19 billion, $38.9 billion) to the exchequer and pinned the blame on him.
Meanwhile, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has been given additional charge of the communications and information technology portfolio in place of Raja.
In another development, Indian police yesterday arrested two top former officials of the Delhi Commonwealth Games on charges of corruption, officials said.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesman said sacked Organising Committee joint director-general T.S. Darbari and deputy director-general Sanjay Mahendroo were arrested after detectives raided their homes.
The CBI lodged charges of forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption against the two detained officials as well as against owners of London-based companies AM Car-Van Services and AM Films.