SC to direct day-to-day trial in 2G spectrum case

The Supreme Court today said it will direct the special court, set up for trying various 2G spectrum scam accused, including former Telecom Minister A Raja, to hold day-to-day trial without any adjournment.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said it will pass a formal order on this issue on April 11, when, it indicated, it will also appoint senior advocate U U Lalit as a special public prosecutor to assist the court in holding the trial in the spectrum allocation case.

The bench indicated its preference for appointing Lalit as SPP, brushing aside the Centre's objections to his appointment.

The bench also said it will restrain all other courts from entertaining any application or petition linked to the case and all such pleas will have to be filed in the apex court only.

The court adjourned the matter to April 11 to pass the order after the Centre failed to propose any name for the appointment of the SPP.

The bench also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to brief it about their second stage of probe into the scam after the filing of the CBI chargesheet in the case on April 2 in the special court.

Senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for CBI and ED, submitted that the second charge sheet regarding bribery angle in the scam will be filed before April 24.

The bench also said that it will pass order giving liberty to the SPP in the case to suggest names of other prosecutors to assist him in the trial.