New Delhi: A former aide of A Raja on Wednesday told a local court that corporate lobbyist Nira Radia used to call him "many times" on phone to inquire about the "whereabouts" of former telecom minister.
Asservartham Aychar, former additional private secretary of Raja, also claimed that during one of the telephone conversations Radia told him to pass on a message to the then minister that she had sorted his "Kalaignar TV problem."
DMK MP Kanimozhi, an accused in the 2G scam case, has 20 per cent stake in DMK-run Kalaignar TV.
Achary was put to intense questioning by senior advocate and Kanimozhi's counsel Ram Jethmalani in a Delhi Court where he gave answers to queries ranging from Raja's communication with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and conversations with Radia.
When asked about Raja and Radia, Achary said the corporate lobbyist used to call him "many times" on phone to inquire about the former telecom minister and that she had also spoken about Kalaignar TV.
"It is correct that before my conversation (of September 18, 2008), Nira Radia had spoken to me many times on phone. She used to speak to me about the whereabouts of A Raja... I used to address her ma'am and not by her name," Achary said.
During cross-examination, Achary, deposing as a CBI witness, said he immediately used to recognize Radia's voice when she called him.
Jethmalani asked him if he was aware of the Kalaignar TV problem that Radia was referring to during their telephonic conversation on September 18, 2008.
Radia had called Achary saying, "Ok tell him (Raja) that I have sorted out his Kalaignar problem. That Kalaignar TV problem."
Achary had a tough time to answer questions from Jethmalani relating to Raja's November 2, 2007 letter to the prime minister as in the first instance he was not sure whether it was urgent or not but later he admitted that it was urgent.
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