Court reserves order on plea against Mittal in telecom case

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal was accused of hiding facts in the case of additional spectrum allocation during the NDA regime

A Delhi court today reserved orders on taking cognisance of a complaint by an NGO accusing the CBI of "hiding" facts allegedly showing involvement of Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal in the case of additional spectrum allocation during the NDA regime.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini, who is trying the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, said he will pronounce the order on March 19.

"One complaint has been received. Arguments heard. Put up for order on the complaint on March 19," the judge said.

The court asked the counsel for the NGO, Telecom Watchdog, why its plea was against only one particular company.

"So, you are only against one company?," the judge observed.

The NGO's counsel Sudhir Malhotra said the issue was not against one company but as the evidence was available only against Mittal, the complaint has been filed against him.

"No the issue is not one company. It is on the material available on record. The evidence is only against this company. If the evidence would have been against five companies, we would have raised that also.

"There is no such material against Hutchison but the material is there against Mittal," he said.

The NGO alleged that the CBI in "connivance" with  Mittal has "misled" the court by hiding "material facts" in its charge sheet against Airtel, Vodafone and others on the issue of additional spectrum allocation.