A Delhi court on Tuesday fixed December 21 for pronouncement of judgment in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case.
Special Judge O.P. Saini announced the date in the presence of the accused and counsel for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.
“I have perused the files and will pronounce judgment on December 21 at 10.30 a.m.,” he said in his brief order.
The court asked all the accused to be present that day. Further, he clarified that the entry to the court room on that date would be on the first come, first served basis in the order of the accused persons, the prosecution and the media.
Former Telecom Minister A. Raja, DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi and others are facing prosecution in the case.
Separate judgment
The court will pronounce judgment in two cases related to the scam: one is of corruption charges and the other is filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
There will also come a separate judgment in the case against Essar Group and Loop Telecom.
In the corruption case related to the spectrum allocation, the CBI in its report alleged that offences pertaining to five main issues — the cut-off date, violations of the first come, first served policy, dual technology approvals and spectrum allocation, eligibility of companies, and cheating the government exchequer by non-revision of the entry fee —were committed.
The investigating agency, in its chargesheet filed in 2011, alleged Mr. Raja, in conspiracy with his former private secretary R.K. Chandolia, decided the cut-off date for consideration of applications to be received up to September 25, 2007, to wrongly benefit accused Sanjay Chandra, Managing Director, Unitech Ltd., Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt. Ltd., Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka of Swan Telecom Pvt. Ltd.
The prosecution examined 153 witnesses, including the chairman of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Anil Ambani, his wife Tina Ambani and corporate lobbyist Nira Radia. The Ambani couple had turned hostile.
The evidence from 29 defence witnesses was also recorded by the court.
There are 19 accused in the money-laundering complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate. They include Ms. Kanimozhi, Mr. Raja and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal.
The ED alleged that the transfer of ₹200 crore from DB Realty Group to the DMK-run Kalaignar TV through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd. and Cineyug Films Pvt. Ltd. was not a genuine business transaction.
Dayalu Ammal was holding 60% stake in Kalaignar TV, while Ms. Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar, managing director of the channel, were each holding 20%.
Claiming that its probe into the money-laundering allegations originated during the investigations into the 2G case, the Enforcement Directorate further alleged that the accused entered into a conspiracy and committed offences coming under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
