Delhi HC disappointed over delay in 2G spectrum case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday expressed disappointment over delay in the 2G spectrum case.

The court was hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) appeal against the acquittal of Essar Group promoters Ravi Kant Ruia and Anshuman Ruia and others in a case arising out of the probe in 2G scam.

It was also hearing the CBI's plea against the acquittal of former union telecom minister A Raja, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Kanimozhi and others in the case.

The accused today sought time to file their responses in the matter. However, the court pulled them up for not doing the same on time. The accused alleged that the CBI has not provided some requisite documents to them.

The court will now hear the matter on February 7 next year.

On August 10, the High Court had granted additional time to A Raja, Kanimozhi and others to file their replies against the CBI's appeal challenging their acquittal.

The CBI has challenged the Patiala House court's ruling which had acquitted all the accused in the aforementioned case.

The verdict in the case was announced on December 21 last year, nearly seven years after the first arrest was made by the CBI in 2011.

The alleged scam relates to the granting of 2G spectrum licence allocations in 2007-08, which caused, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the public exchequer.