New Delhi:
Tainted Telecom Minister A Raja's close aide R K Chandolia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 2 along with former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura and A Raja himself.
The 1984-batch Indian Economic Service officer, Chandolia was former Telecom Minister A Raja's private secretary during UPA-I when the licences were awarded.
When Raja became the Telecom Minister once again in UPA-II, Chandolia had been promoted to the Joint Secretary rank. Therefore, technically he could not serve as a private secretary to a minister.
Raja re-designated him Economic Adviser, that gave him the charge of all important policy-related work.
He was reporting directly to the Secretary.
Chandolia interacted with all the licensees. It is said that it was Chandolia who, from DDG-access services A K Srivastava's room, had handed out letters of intent to representatives of various companies.