India's Andimuthu Raja appears in court in graft case
A Raja quit in November amid what has been described as India's biggest corruption investigationIndia's former telecoms minister, who has been charged in connection with a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal, is appearing in court.
Andimuthu Raja is accused of selling mobile phone licenses to firms in exchange for bribes in 2008.
Auditors estimate this could have cost the country nearly $40bn (£24.5bn) in lost revenue. Mr Raja denies any wrongdoing.
The issue of corruption has become a major talking point in India.
Mr Raja was forced to resign as telecommunications minister last year. He was arrested in February and has been in prison since.
Mr Raja and eight others, including two former bureaucrats, have appeared in a special court that is expected to hold daily hearings in one of the most high-profile trials in India.
The former minister has been charged with conspiracy, forgery and abuse of power.
If convicted, he faces seven years in prison.
The telecoms scandal has badly damaged the reputation of the government, which has been hit by a series of corruption scandals.
Last week, wide public protests led by an anti-corruption crusader pushed the authorities to begin proceedings to strengthen India's anti-graft laws.
India has the world's fastest growing mobile market, with about half a billion subscribers.
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