Telecom minister A Raja has got the boot. But will he be brought to justice?

This is the question we are asking you today because the UPA-II seems to think that mere resignations are punishment enough. That is why Ashok Chavan (Adarsh housing society scam) and Suresh Kalmadi (CWG scams) were let off with just their resignations from their official positions (as CM of Maharashtra and secretary of the Congress parliamentary party, respectively) by way of punishment for their alleged involvement in scams. Before them, former MoS for external affairs Shashi Tharoor (IPL Kochi scam) had been allowed to go with just his resignation.

The rule of law is clear. Once prima facie evidence of any corrupt deal surfaces, the law enforcing agency is supposed to register an FIR, arrest and interrogate the suspect, gather evidence and file chargesheet for the trial to begin. It is for the court of law then to decide Raja's culpability and award him suitable punishment, or acquit. Only then can we say that he has been brought to justice. But this course has not been followed in the cases of Chavan, Kalmadi or Tharoor. And there is little to suggest that Raja (2G spectrum scam) will be made an exception.