New Delhi, Feb. 15: The CBI today widened its probe into the 2G scam, questioning officials of telecom companies such as Unitech Wireless, Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd, Loop Telecom and STel.

The interrogation began at the CBI headquarters in the morning and continued till afternoon on a day CBI director A.P. Singh appeared before Parliament’s public accounts committee that is also probing the 2G scam.

Among those questioned were Sandip Basu, the CEO of Loop Telecom, Sanjay Ubale and Kishore Salatore of Tata Realty, Vinod Goenka, one of the partners of DB Realty and a key official of Swan Telecom, Arun Mandhana and Rupendra Sikka of STel and Sanjay Chandra, the Unitech MD.

“They were all asked to come to the CBI headquarters for questioning under CrPC Section 160. Their statements have been recorded. None has been arrested,” an officer said.

All, except Unitech’s Chandra, left the CBI hub in the afternoon. Chandra was being questioned till late at night.

The agency is probing how some companies without specialisation in the telecom sector managed to get spectrum licences in 2007-08 on a first-come-first-served basis.

“The guidelines for allotment of spectrum were violated,” the officer said.

He added that former telecom minister A. Raja and Shahid Balwa, a promoter of DB Realty which floated Swan Telecom, entered into a criminal conspiracy with suspected companies and indulged in cheating and forgery for the award of spectrum licences.

In January 2008, Raja had granted licences to nine firms: Swan Telecom, Unitech Wireless, Loop Telecom, Datacom, STel, Allianz, Idea, Aircel and Spice.

Idea, Aircel and Spice were already present in limited circles. The other six were newer players with no experience. Some firms immediately sold stakes to foreign companies for huge valuations.

In a statement today, Unitech MD Chandra said: “In continuation of the ongoing investigations, I am here today to personally clarify certain issues raised by the CBI. With respect to the investigations by the CBI, pursuant to the honorable Supreme Court, all the 9 telecom companies, who received the licences, are being questioned by the agencies and it is not specific to any one company.

“Unitech Ltd is a responsible corporate, functioning within the guidelines prescribed by the sovereign government and abiding by the law of the land and has been fully co-operating with the investigating agency. Unitech has co-operated with all investigating agencies from the very beginning, as we have nothing to hide. Our officers have provided all records for examination and clarified all issues raised by them from time to time. Going forward, we will continue to assist in the same spirit.”