On 1st day of 2G trial, Raja’s plea rejected

The much-awaited trial of the outrageous 2G spectrum allocation scam which commenced from Friday began on a disappointing note for former Telecom Minister A Raja as his plea of not cross-examining prosecution witnesses until the completion of probe by the CBI in the case was dismissed by a special court.

The plea had been submitted by Raja’s counsel Sushil Kumar only moments before the special CBI judge commenced formal trial. Besides Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi accompanied by corporate big shots and the telecom firms, being the high-profile accused in the case were all present in the court. Special CBI Judge OP Saini started the trial by recording the statement of Anand Subramaniam, Assistant vice-president of Reliance Capital Ltd and group president of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) AN Sethuraman.

Raja’s counsel Kumar contended that trial cannot start when the probe is still underway. Senior advocate Kumar told the judge that the CBI has submitted in the Supreme Court that investigation in relation to Loop Telecom, which was also granted 2G licences, is still going on. Kumar told the judge, “You can defer it (trial) simply. CBI cannot say that the investigation is over according to the chargesheeet. Let them say that investigation in this FIR is complete as per all these 17 accused.”

The application moved by Raja said that the date of examination of witnesses has been fixed without complying with the mandate of the proviso of the CrPC and due to this, Raja has ‘no option’ but to defer the cross examination of prosecution witnesses.

Kumar while clarifying that he is not interfering with the trial said, “I am not saying stop the trial but I would not cross -examine the prosecution witnesses until the probe in the case is complete.”