2G scam: CBI begins submissions in challenge to acquittal of A Raja and ors

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today began its submissions in its challenge to the acquittal of former Telecom Minister A Raja and others in the 2G Spectrum case before the Delhi High Court..A Single judge Bench of Justice Brijesh Sethi asked the agency to commence submissions in its leave to appeal after being informed that the pleading in the case were complete..Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain today explained the modus operandi of the 2G scam and claimed that 2G licenses were granted to the accused private companies without any auction at first-come-first-serve basis which caused a huge loss to the public exchequer..After hearing the ASG briefly on FIR and the chargesheet filed in the case, the Court adjourned hearing till November 1..In December 2017, a Special CBI Court had acquitted DMK politicians A Raja, Kanimozhi, and fifteen others implicated in the 2G Spectrum Case..In his 1500+ page verdict, CBI judge OP Saini held that given the lack of evidence mounted by the prosecution, he had no choice but to give a clean chit to the accused. In fact, in para 1811 of the judgment, the judge stated that he had been waiting in vain for over six years to receive a shred of credible evidence..The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had then moved the Delhi High Court in March 2018 against the acquittal of all accused persons in the 2G case in December 2017..The Court had issued notice in the appeals on March 21, 2018. Since then, the case has remained dormant due to non-completion of pleadings..In a bid to impose costs on respondents who were yet to file replies in the appeals, the High Court had even called for a tree plantation drive in Delhi’s South Ridge forest area by the errant parties..As per the CBI’s charges, A Raja, who was Telecom Minister during the UPA regime, caused huge losses to the state exchequer by undercharging telecom firms for frequency licences. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India had estimated the total loss to be Rs 1.76 trillion.