Additional spectrum: Hearing against Mittal, Ruia on Sep 15

A special court here today fixed September 15 for hearing the additional spectrum case in which Bharti Cellular CMD Sunil Mittal, Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia and others have been summoned as accused.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini adjourned the proceedings after the counsel appearing for the accused said that the pleas filed by Mittal and Ruia, challenging the March 19, 2013 order of the trial court summoning them as accused in the case, will be heard by the Supreme Court on August 5.

The apex court, in its April 26 last year interim order, had said that hearing against Mittal and Ruia will remain "postponed" in the trial court until further orders.

Former Telecom Secretary Shyamal Ghosh, who is also an accused in the case, was present in the court during the proceedings.

Mittal, Ruia and Canada-based NRI Asim Ghosh, who was then a Managing Director of accused firm Hutchison Max Telecom Pvt Ltd, were summoned as accused by the trial court.

Mittal, Ruia and Asim Ghosh were not named as accused in CBI's charge sheet filed on December 21, 2012.

Three telecom firms Bharti Cellular Ltd, Hutchison Max Telecom Pvt Ltd (now known as Vodafone India Ltd) and Sterling Cellular Ltd (now known as Vodafone Mobile Service Ltd) are also accused in the case.

CBI, in its charge sheet, had named Shyamal Ghosh and the three telecom companies as accused in the case relating to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allocating additional spectrum which had allegedly resulted in a loss of Rs 846 crore to the exchequer.