SC dismisses Essar, Loop pleas to move 2G case from CBI court

The two firms had argued they were accused of cheating and conspiracy, which should normally be tried in a magistrate's court

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed petitions moved by Essar Teleholdings  Loop Telecom and their officials, challenging their trial in a special court set up to hear the offences related to the 2G telecom spectrum scam.

In the petitions, they argued they had not been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act and, therefore, they should not be clubbed along with other telecom companies and officials facing corruption charges in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)court.

The two companies had argued they were accused of cheating and conspiracy, which should normally be tried in a magistrate’s court. The special court, set up under the orders of the Supreme Court, had no jurisdiction to try them for corruption. The  special court was set up to try corruption charges, they argued.

Apart from the companies, the officials facing trial before the special court include Essar Group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia,  Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Essar Group director Vikash Saraf.

The accused in the 2G case include former telecom minister A Raja, his former private secretary R K Chandolia, former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam parliamentarian Kanimozhi and officials of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group.