STPL was Reliance ADA Group company: CBI to 2G case witness

Singhla, Asst President of RIL, who was deposing as a defence witness in the ongoing trial, refuted the suggestions of CBI

The CBI today grilled a Reliance ADAG official before a Delhi court alleging that Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL), an accused firm facing trial in the 2G spectrum allocation case, was one of the group companies of Anil Ambani-led enterprise.

Assistant Vice President of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, Vikash Singhla, who was deposing as a defence witness in the ongoing trial, refuted the suggestions of the CBI prosecutor.

"It is wrong to suggest that STPL was a Reliance ADA group company. However, the company (STPL) was earlier known as Swan Capital (P) Limited and at the time of its incorporation, it was Reliance Infrastructure group company," Singhla told special CBI judge O P Saini.

During his cross-examination by CBI prosecutor, the court also warned Singhla that action shall be initiated against him according to law if he did not answer the questions properly.

"The witness (Singhla) is not answering the question, despite the question being repeated to him several times, both in Hindi and English. He is advised to reply to the question, failing which action shall be initiated against him, as per law," the court observed.

However, at the fag end of recording of his statement, Singhla told the judge that the observation recorded against him be deleted as he was not withholding the reply but was just trying to give an explanation due to which he took some time to respond to the query.

His submission was opposed by the CBI prosecutor.

CBI, in its charge sheet, had alleged that Reliance ADAG firm Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL) had used STPL, an ineligible company, as its front company to get 2G spectrum licences and the costly radio waves.

Three top executives of Reliance ADAG -- Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair -- are facing trial in the case along with former Telecom Minister A Raja, STPL promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and others.

STPL and Reliance Telecom Ltd are also accused in the case.