2G case: Raja firm on not to cross examine witnesses

On day two of the trial, Raja let go the opportunity presented to him by Special CBI Judge O P Saini who asked him whether he would cross examine prosecution witness A N Sethuraman, the group president of Reliance ADA Group.

"Will you cross examine the witness?," the judge said and Raja said "No, I will stand by my earlier statement."

Raja had protested the commencement of the trial on the very first day with his counsel refusing to join the trial unless CBI makes a statement that the probe into the scam is complete.

"Ask the public prosecutor (PP) whether investigation is complete. He knows it all, in and out. I cannot understand why you (judge) do not wait for the investigation to be over. Just note my status, I refuse (to cross examine the prosecution witnesses)," Raja's counsel had said.

He had added CBI has submitted in the Supreme Court that the investigation in relation to Loop Telecom, which was also granted 2G licences, is still going on and this was a "ground good enough" to defer the trial.

He had, however, clarified he is not interfering with the trial but would not cross examine prosecution witnesses until the probe in the case is completed.

The court had dismissed his plea saying this cannot be a ground to defer the trial.
Besides Sethuraman, Raja had earlier refused to cross examine Anand Subramaniam, Vice President of Reliance Capital Ltd.