Spectrum case: Hearing deferred till Aug 26

A Delhi court today adjourned till August 26 the additional spectrum case with the counsel appearing for Bharti Cellular CMD Sunil Mittal and Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia informing it that the matter is listed for hearing before the Supreme Court.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for Ruia, told the court that the matter is listed before the Supreme Court today itself and, therefore, the trial court hearing should be adjourned till the apex court clarifies whether there is any stay or not on the proceedings.
He said that since the matter in the apex court may not get over today itself, the trial court should give at least a week's time.

"If there is a stay, it will take one second and if there is no stay, it will also take one second and they (accused) will have to move bail applications," Special CBI Judge O P Saini said while listing the matter for hearing on August 26.
Mittal, Ruia and former Telecom Secretary Shyamal Ghosh, all of whom were summoned as accused in the case, appeared before the court today.
The court had earlier told Mittal and Ruia, who had challenged the trial court's order summoning them as accused in the case, that there was "no stay" on the proceedings before it and had warned them that it will go ahead with criminal process if they fail to seek clarification from the Supreme Court on the issue.

"There is no stay order as of now," the judge had said on the last date of hearing and had adjourned the case till today while asking both of them to get it clarified by the apex court.
CBI had opposed their plea, saying the proceedings had not been stayed by the apex court.