2G case: Shahid Balwa takes shield of former SG Vahanvati

Swan Telecom Promoter Shahid Balwa, facing trial along with former Telecom Minister A Raja and 15 others in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, today told a special court that then Solicitor General (SG) G E Vahanvati had said that the firm was eligible for the licenses.
While advancing final arguments, Balwa's counsel told Special Judge O P Saini that the then SG had been consulted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in 2009, and had opined that Swan Telecom (STPL), also an accused in the 2G spectrum case, had fulfilled all the necessary conditions for licences.
"After going through the files, the SG was of the opinion that nothing was lacking in the eligibility of the firm. Same conclusions were reached by then Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura and the SG was of the opinion that Behura did no wrong in recommending the firm," advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for Balwa, said.

The counsel further questioned as to why the CBI did not quizz all the prosecution witnesses properly.
Earlier, Balwa had told the court that there was shift in stand of CBI in the case and it only played to the gallery.
He had also said that he was prosecuted wrongly and the main charge sheet, filed by CBI, has gone for a toss and the probe agency was roaming around only Rs 200 crore.

The agency has alleged that Rs 200 crore was bribe which was paid to the DMK-run TV channel in return of 2G license granted to Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL).

He said that while questioning the witnesses, the agency did not even clarify about the ineligibility.
He had also told the court that there were several contradictions in prosecution's story which defy the existence of conspiracy and the CBI has made those persons accused in the case who have not toed its line.
Raja had earlier claimed that there was no evidence to show he was aware of the Rs 200 crore transaction between DMK-run Kalaignar TV and DB Group firm.
Besides Raja and Balwa, DMK MP Kanimozhi, former Telecom
Secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia, Unitech Ltd Managing Director Sanjay Chandra, STPL promoter Vinod Goenka and three executives of Reliance ADAG - Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair - are facing trial in the case.

Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV Director Sharad Kumar and Bollywood producer Karim Morani are also facing trial in the case, besides three telecom companies -- Reliance Telecom Ltd, STPL and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd.
In its charge sheet, CBI had alleged a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the exchequer in allocation of 122 licences for 2G spectrum, which was scrapped by the Supreme Court on February 2, 2012.
All these accused, who are out on bail, have denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI.