SC asks CBI to probe beneficiaries in 2G scam

Broadening the net, the Supreme Court today asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to bring under its scanner corporate houses which were beneficiaries of the 2G spectrum scam without being influenced by their status be it millionaires or whether they are on the Forbes list.

Giving a free hand to the investigating agency and setting the contours of the probe, the court asked the government to set up a special court exclusively to try the spectrum scam case.

A Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly asked the agency to lay its hand on the big corporate houses and the government officials who may have a role in the scam "as mere summoning them for examining them may not be sufficient".

"We have a large number of persons who think themselves to be law. Law must catch them. It should be done with greater expedition. Merely they are in the list of Forbes or they are millionaires does not make any difference," the Bench said after perusing the status reports filed by the probe agencies in which names of big corporates houses and their officers were mentioned.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, pointed out that the agencies have not questioned the heads of several companies including Swan technology, which was controlled by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group, when the spectrum was allocated.

At this, the Bench said "top authorities of the companies were not questioned. It is surprising that the Managing Directors were not summoned".

"Why CBI has not taken any action in this regard," the court asked.

The apex court said freedom of probe agencies should not be curtailed and they should go beyond the role of the four persons already arrested including the former Telecom Minister A Raja and tell the names of conspirators.

"This investigation has led to prima-facie conclusion about the culpability of four persons. What about the beneficiaries. They are part of a larger conspiracy. We want to know about them. You (CBI) take instructions and tell us what action you are planning to take," the Bench said.

It questioned CBI's strategy of seeking short custodial remands of the accused and said it must have free hand to question anyone.

"There is something which is surprising. CBI must have a free hand to question anyone. Whether it's freedom is curtailed by seeking short remand....complexity is involved. It is a very complicated matter. We feel that investigating agency must be given free hand to seek longer remand. Otherwise the whole purpose of investigation is frustrated," the Bench said.