The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked former Telecom Minister A Raja and others to respond to the plea of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for an early hearing of their appeals challenging their acquittal in the 2G spectrum allocation case .
Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notice to all the individuals and firms related to the case for their replies and listed the case for hearing on September 21.
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The agencies have sought preponement of the hearing on the agencies’ appeal, which is listed for hearing on October 12.
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, in previous hearing, told the High Court that Justice Sethi, who has been hearing the CBI and ED’s appeals, would demit the office on November 30.
Mr. Jain said it would be in public interest that the country’s largest trial, which was conducted at the public exchequer’s cost, be brought to its logical conclusion.
Also read: 2G scam case: CBI appeal infructuous in view of new anti-graft law, A. Raja tells HC
In December 2017, a Special CBI Court here acquitted Mr. Raja, Ms. Kanimozhi and others in the CBI and ED cases relating to the 2G case, noting that the prosecution had “miserably failed” to prove the charges.
It also acquitted 17 others, including late DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, Vinod Goenka, Asif Balwa, film producer Karim Morani, P. Amirtham and Sharad Kumar, director of Kalaignar TV, in the ED case.
On March 19, 2018, ED approached the High Court challenging the special court’s order acquitting all the accused. A day later, the CBI too challenged in the High Court the acquittal of the accused in the case.
