The final arguments in the 2G scam-related money laundering case in which former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and 17 others are facing trial, will resume on December 21, a special court said today.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini, who was scheduled to hear the final arguments today, deferred it as the court was busy in hearing another case moved by CBI in which Raja, Kanimozhi and 15 others are accused.
Special public prosecutor Anand Grover told the court that he would conclude the final arguments in CBI's case tomorrow and after that he would argue in the money laundering case from next week.
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Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier alleged that Rs 200 crore "illegal gratification" was transferred to DMK-run Kalaignar TV by DB group firm through a "circuitous route" in return for grant of spectrum to Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd by Raja.
It had alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Raja, Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal and others and Rs 200 crore was the "proceeds of crime".
Raja, Kanimozhi, Ammal and 16 others, including nine firms, are facing trial in the case in which ED had on April 25, last year filed a charge sheet under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court had on October 31, last year framed charges against the accused saying Raja, allegedly in connivance with Kanimozhi, Ammal and others, in the "parking" of illegal gratification in Kalaignar TV.
The other accused are Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL) promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar, Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani and P Amirtham. All of them are out on bail.
In the CBI case, besides Raja and Kanimozhi, ex-Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia, Unitech Ltd MD Sanjay Chandra, STPL promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka and three top executives of Reliance ADAG -- Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair -- are facing trial.
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 accused in the case, besides three telecom companies -- Reliance Telecom Ltd, STPL and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd.
All the accused, who are out on bail, have denied the allegations against them.
During the arguments on Saraf's plea, his counsel said that he is employed with Jade Global Services (FZE), a company incorporated and registered in Dubai, and was required to go to Dubai to meet out his professional obligations.
CBI opposed his plea contending that documents and tickets submitted by Saraf were vague and unclear.
The court, however, allowed his plea saying, "Considering the submissions and the fact that there has been no complaint against the accused misusing the liberty granted to him in the past, I am inclined to allow the application..."
The court is currently hearing final arguments in the case.
Essar Group promoters Ravi and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan, her husband I P Khaitan and Vikash Saraf are facing trial in the case, along with three telecom firms -- Loop Telecom Ltd, Loop Mobile India Ltd and Essar Tele Holdings Ltd.
The five individuals accused, who are out on bail, have denied the charges levelled by CBI. The three firms have also refuted these allegations.
CBI had listed these accused in a charge sheet on December 12, 2011, alleging they had cheated the DoT by using Loop Telecom as a "front" to secure 2G licences in 2008.
On May 25, 2012, the court had framed charges against all the accused under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with section 420 (cheating) of the IPC, while the substantive charge of cheating was made out only against Saraf.
