Asia-Pacific

Top Indian businessmen questioned over scandal

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-02-18 19:43

NEW DELHI - Indian investigators have questioned some of India's biggest businessmen about a telecom scandal that allegedly cost the country billions of dollars.

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Central Bureau of Investigation spokesman R.K. Gaur says business baron Anil Ambani and Essar group CEO Prashant Ruia were questioned Friday over the 2008 sale of second-generation, or 2G, cellular licenses.

The sale of the those licenses netted India $2.7 billion, a number that appears low compared to the $14.6 billion that third-generation licenses netted last year. Some of the 2G licenses were later resold at a massive profit for the companies involved.