2G scam case: HC asks CBI, ED, others to file submissions in appeal against acquittals

New Delhi, April 13 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the CBI, the ED, former telecom minister A Raja, and other parties to submit their submissions in the appeal contesting the acquittal of the defendants and companies in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

A bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma asked the parties to file only brief written submissions.

The judge set the matter for May 22 and 23 as the CBIs counsel pleaded with the court to list the matter as soon as possible so that he may present his case on granting leave to appeal."The matter requires urgent hearing.

Fix anytime of the day for conducting day-to-day hearing in the matter," counsel submitted.Leave to appeal is a formal permission granted by a court to a party to challenge a decision in a higher court.

Judge Brijesh Sethi, who presided over the case in the past but resigned on November 30, had on November 23 discharged it from his board due to a lack of time.Before demitting the office, Justice Sethi had decided various petitions and applications filed by the acquitted individuals and firms in the three cases arising out of the 2G scam probe lodged by the CBI and ED.After the CBI concludes submissions in its main case, the high court will take up the money laundering case brought by the ED, in which also all of the accused were acquitted by the special court.On December 21, 2017, a special court acquitted Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and other defendants in the scam-related CBI and ED cases.

On March 19, 2018, the ED approached the high court challenging the special courts order acquitting all the accused.A day later, the CBI too challenged in the high court the acquittal of the accused in the case.

The CBI had told the High Court that the trial court verdict in the 2G spectrum scam case, which acquitted all the accused persons, was challenged following an opinion from the Central government that it is a "fit case" for appeal.The scam came to light almost seven years ago when the Comptroller and Auditor General, in a report, held then Telecom Minister Raja responsible for causing the state exchequer a loss of Rs 1,76,379 crore by allocating 2G spectrum licenses at throwaway prices.

However, the trial court found that the prosecution failed to prove the charges.This verdict, however, doesnt override the Supreme Court judgement that the licenses issued during 2G spectrum allocation were illegal.

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