Mittal, Ruia 2G case: Hearing put off till July 31

A Delhi court Monday put off till July 31 the hearing on a 2G case in which Bharti Airtel chief Sunil Mittal and Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia were summoned.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge O.P. Saini adjourned the case till July 31 after lawyers appearing for Mittal and Ruia informed the court that the matter was pending in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in its interim order April 26 postponed the trial court proceedings till further orders and exempted Mittal and Ruia from personal appearance, the lawyers submitted.

The pleas of Mittal and Ruia, filed in the apex court, challenged the 2G special court's summons.

The special court summoned the top executives in connection with alleged excess spectrum allocation during the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance regime in 2002.

The trial court issued summons after taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed against mobile firms Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Sterling Cellular for the alleged irregularities.

On Dec 21 last year, the CBI named Shyamal Ghosh and the three telecom firms as accused in the 57-page charge sheet for criminal conspiracy as also under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act for causing a loss of about Rs.846 crore to the exchequer.

The agency told the court that additional spectrum was allotted July 17, 2002 to Bharti Cellular (now Bharti Airtel) and Sterling Cellular (now Vodafone Mobile Service) for the Delhi metro area, and Hutchison Max (now Vodafone India) for the Mumbai metro area.