2G case: Court fixes March 3 to record statement of accused

A special CBI court today fixed March 3 for recording the statements of the accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam including former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, some top corporates and executives.

 

Special CBI Judge O P Saini adjourned the matter till the next date as the questions to be put to the accused were not yet ready.

 

"Questions for section 313 of the CrPC (recording of statement of accused) are not yet ready. List on March 3," the court said.

 

The judge was initially going to set a date in February but fixed March 3 after the counsel for the accused sought more time.

 

He told the defence to "concentrate on the case" after they moved a number of applications ranging from seeking additional documents to release of passport for renewal.

 

The court, on November 27, 2013, had concluded recording of statement of CBI witnesses in the case after the deposition of CBI's Superintendent of Police Vivek Priyadarshi, the chief investigating officer, got over.

 

The court has recorded statements of 153 CBI witnesses, including Reliance ADAG Chairman Anil Ambani, his wife Tina Ambani, former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and Attorney General G E Vahanvati, running into over 4,400 pages in the case allegedly involving Raja and 16 others.

 

The court has also concluded recording of evidence of CBI witnesses in the case, arising out of the investigation into the 2G spectrum scam, involving the promoters of Essar Group, Loop Telecom and others.

 

During the recording of evidence in the case, which had commenced on July 26 last year, the court has recorded the statements of 95 CBI witnesses, running into 1,056 pages.

 

The stage for the start of the trial on November 11, 2011 was set after the court framed charges against the 17, including three telecom firms, named in the first two charge sheets saying there was sufficient prima facie evidence against them.