A. Raja, India's former telecommunications minister, has gone on trial, along with several others, exposing the biggest corruption scandal the country has ever seen.

The defendants are accused of selling mobile phone frequencies at a fraction of their value - in exchange for bribes. It is a costly affair. India's treasury may have lost up to $40bn in revenue.

Just why is this case different? Is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh feeling the pressure? And how big is the problem of corruption in the world's largest democracy?

Inside Story, with presenter James Bays, discusses with guests Nandita Rao, an attorney and activist specialising in civil rights; Anupama Jha, the executive director for the India branch of Transparency International; and Rani Singh, a security analyst and author.