2G scam: Delhi HC orders argument days to be scheduled every Friday at 02:15 P.M on CBI demand
After more than six years, the Delhi High Court fixed to start arguments in the appeal in 2G Scam cases filed by CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) every Friday afternoon from August 30. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna ordered the scheduling of argument days on Fridays after the demand of CBI. “Learned Senior Advocate on behalf of the appellant (CBI) submits that this is a voluminous matter and, therefore, the schedule of dates may be fixed to facilitate the conclusion of the arguments from all the parties.
“Learned counsels on behalf of the respondents (Former Telecom Minister A Raja and others accused by CBI and ED) have no objection to the schedule of dates being fixed. After due consultation with the counsels of the parties, it is decided that the present appeal shall be taken on every Friday at 02:15 P.M.
Accordingly, list for arguments on behalf of the appellant (CBI) on 30.08.2024 at 02:15 P.M.,” said the order of Delhi High Court on July 18.
CBI and ED filed an appeal against the controversial judgment of the trial court in March 2018. The trial Judge O P Saini in a controversial judgment in December 2017 acquitted all the accused, though he put many of the accused for more than a year in prison, before granting bail. There was a huge delay in the appeal procedure in the Delhi High Court, which granted the basic stage of ‘Leave to Grant Appeal’ only after six years in March 2024. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta is the Special Public Prosecutor in this high-profile appeal petition filed by CBI and ED.
More than 130 hearings and Eleven Judges handled the more than six-year-long snail-paced appeal procedure in the Delhi High Court. Supreme Court in 2011 ordered for creation of a special trial court and speedy probe in 2G Scam cases on the petitions filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
CBI and ED argued that the trial judge O P Saini totally made errors in the judgment. CBI charged two cases. The major case was against 17 accused persons including former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK supremo Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, and Corporate companies owned by Shaid Balwa, Vinod Goenka who sold their firm to UAE-based telecom major Etisalat, Unitech owner Sanjay Chandra who sold the firm to Norway based telecom company Telenor.
CBI’s second case was against Essar Group’s Ravi Kant Ruia, Anshuman Ruia, I P Khaitan, and Kiran Khaitan for floating a shell firm to get a telecom licence. The ED case was on the money laundering of more than Rs.220 crore bribe from Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka’s firms to DMK leader Kanimozhi and DMK-linked TV channel Kalaignar TV. Karunanidhi’s wife Rajathi Ammal was also accused in ED’s case.[1]
Here are the details of the 2G Scam.[2]
Reference:
[1] 2G scam: Six years later, Delhi High Court admits CBI appeal against acquittal of A Raja, Kanimozhi & others – Mar 22, 2024, PGurus.com
[2] Violations, Timeline in 2G Spectrum Scam – Mar 26, 2023, J Gopikrishnan
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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