Indian authorities raided the home of former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja early this morning, as part of a probe into a 2G license scandal.

 

The country’s CBI also searched offices of a trust run by Raja’s family, and detained the disgraced minister’s aide Sadiq Basha for questioning as part of the continuing investigation, the Hindu reported.

 

Raja quit as telecoms minister last month amid allegations he mis-sold 2G licenses in 2008, costing the government 1.76 trillion Rupees (€29.5 billion) in the process.

 

The homes of ex-telecom secretary Siddartha Behura and ex Telecom Commission member K. Sridhara were also searched, along with an office used by Raja’s personal secretary, and the office and home of telecoms department deputy director general A. K. Srivastava, a CBI spokeswoman told WSJ.com.

 

Searches are due to continue until the evening, the CBI staffer said.

 

Raja’s successor Kapil Sibal has threatened to revoke the disputed 2G licenses if operators can’t justify their ownership, in an attempt to re-build the reputation of the country’s telecoms ministry.