SC to hear Reliance's plea in 2G case

A trial court in Delhi had asked the Ambanis to appear before it after the CBI made them witness in the 2G case

The Supreme Court will Tuesday hear Reliance Telecommunications' plea challenging a special 2G court order summoning Anil Dhirubhai Amabani Group chairman Anil Ambani and his wife Tina Ambani to depose as prosecution witnesses in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice Vikramajit Sen said that the matter would be taken up for hearing by an appropriate bench Tuesday.

The court ruling came as senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said that an application had been filed and urged that it be heard.

Earlier in the morning, when Rohatgi mentied the matter before the court it said that it would be taken up for hearing by an appropriate bench Wednesday.

However, the hearing was advanced by a day to Tuesday after the matter was mentioned once again later in the day.

A special trial court in Delhi had asked the Ambanis to appear before it after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made them witness in the 2G spectrum allocation case. The CBI said Tina Ambani presided over meetings where key decisions on 2G were taken.

One of the main contentions of the probe agency was that Swan Telecom, which was among the companies that got telecom spectrum and licence in 2008, was a shell of Anil Ambani group and was hence not eligible -- a matter that has been denied by the defence.

Three executives of Reliance Group and the promoters of Swan are facing trial for this.