New Delhi: A special court in New Delhi on Tuesday said that it needs more time to give a verdict in the 2G scam case against former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi and others.
CBI Special Judge OP Saini had on October 25 deferred the matter observing that documents filed in the case are voluminous and technical in nature which were still under perusal. He had set November 7 as next date of hearing.
The judge on Tuesday said that the court needs more time to decide on the case, which is perhaps the biggest scam in Independent India.
He said it might take substantial time and deferred the matter for November 7 for further clarification if required.
The court has also asked all the accused to be present for the hearing and also issued production warrant against Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra and Bollywood producer Karim Morani.
The 2G spectrum scam is said to be the biggest scam in the history of Independent India. The Time Magazine has called it the second biggest instance of the abuse of executive power — just a notch below Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal.
On November 16, 2010, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the supreme auditing body of the country, came out with its report on the issuance of licenses and allocation of 2G spectrum by the Department of Telecom.
CAG, then headed Vinod Rai, revealed 2G licenses had been issued to telecom operators at throwaway prices causing a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer. Moreover, licenses had been issued to ineligible applicants who had deliberately suppressed facts, disclosed incomplete information, submitted fictitious documents and used fraudulent means for getting licenses and thereby access to spectrum.
Now, there are two separate cases related to 2G spectrum cases that are being looked into by the special court. One of them is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the other by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
On April 26, the court had concluded final arguments in the case.
According to the CBI, Raja was biased in allocating 2G mobile air waves and operating licences to telecom firms, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.
The CBI chargesheet said Rs 200 crore was transferred from DB Group to Kalaignar TV, which were kickbacks in lieu of allocation of 2G spectrum to Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a separate case related to money laundering alleging that a conspiracy was hatched by Raja, Kanimozhi and DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal besides others and that the Rs 200 crore was the proceeds of crime.
All accused, including Raja, are out on bail.
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