The rift between A Raja and then Telecom Secretary D S Mathur was such that in 2007 the former telecom minister "shouted at or abused" at him when the grant of 2G spectrum licences was the "burning issue" confronting the ministry,a key CBI witness today told a Delhi court. Aseervartham Achary,former additional private secretary of Raja,told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that the former minister shouted at Mathur in December 2007 as there was some disagreement between them. During his cross-examination by Ram Jethmalani,counsel for DMK MP Kanimozhi,Achary stood by his earlier statements given to CBI and a magistrate that his former boss shouted at Mathur in December,2007. "It is correct that I never asked D S Mathur as to what for he was being shouted at or abused about (by Raja). I did not ask Mathur about the rift between him and the minister. It is incorrect to suggest that I continued meeting Mathur in his office till his retirement. I did not find it appropriate for me being an officer of the rank of section officer to go to the secretary of the government of India and ask him about his rift with the minister. "I know the burning issues in the ministry at that time and they were licences and spectrum. It is correct that I had typed the letters (sent to the PM) and so I knew the burning issues in the ministry. I could infer that whatever discussion took place between the minister and the secretary concerned one of these issues. To the best of my knowledge,I am not aware if Raja had recorded some opinion in writing about Mathur," the witness said. Testifying as the seventh prosecution witness in the case,Achary said during November-December 2007,a rift was growing between Raja and Mathur and the minister had himself told him about this. "It is correct that I came to know before the incidence of shouting that there were some disagreements between the minister and the secretary and these facts were being freely discussed among the officers of Department of Telecom (DoT)," Achary said. "It is correct that during November-December 2007,I could see that a rift was growing A Raja and D S Mathur. Raja himself told me about this rift between him and Mathur during November-December 2007. It is correct that Mathur was to retire at the end of December 2007," the witness said. Raja was "at the top of the pitch" while Mathur's voice was at the "lowest tone" during the arguments at the camp office of the official residence of the minister,he said. "I was in my cabin when I heard the shouting and arguments and on this,I entered the room where this was taking place. I did not understand what the argument was about before I entered the room. "I heard the voice of Raja at the top of the pitch while that of Mathur at the lowest tone. By the pitch of the voices,I concluded that some arguments between the two were going on," he said. He reiterated his earlier statement that Raja had himself told him (Achary) that Mathur was not listening. "It is correct that I had spoken to Raja about the fact as to why he was not inviting Mathur for a lunch on the eve of his (Mathur) retirement. It is incorrect to suggest that I am stating falsely that Raja told me that Mathur was not listening to him," Achary said. Jethmalani quizzed Achary saying that considering his designation,Raja would not have told him about it and nor could he have dared to ask this to the minister. Achary replied in negative to Jethmalani's suggestion that he was too small as an employee to be confided with sensitive details by Raja. "I have been associated with Raja for almost 10 years. I might have missed some facts in my statement to the investigating officer (IO) as well as to the metropolitan magistrate. I am a small fry to ask Mathur about such matters though I could take the liberty with the minister to ask such questions because of my long association with him," he said. The witness also turned down Jethmalani's suggestion that he used to "spy" on the minister (Raja). "It is incorrect to suggest that I used to spy on the minister when he was at Sanchar Bhawan office," the witness said. He also said that in September 2007,activities in Raja's office and his residence had become "very hectic" and a large number of visitors used to visit there. The cross-examination of Achary remained inconclusive and would tomorrow also.
