SC to hear plea against calling Ambani, wife

The Supreme Court is to hear on Tuesday a plea made by Reliance Telecom (RTL) challenging an order by the special 2G court to summon Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani and Tina Ambani as prosecution witnesses in the case.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice P Sathasivam fixed the matter for hearing before an appropriate bench.

The issue was raised twice before the bench. First during mentioning before the start of hearing of the listed matter and later in the afternoon.

The court, which in the morning fixed the case for hearing on Wednesday, preponed it to Tuesday on a request made by RTL’s counsel.

RTL, one of the three companies, accused in the case challenged the July 19 order of Special CBI judge O P Saini, making ADAG chairman and his wife prosecution witnesses on CBI’s plea that their testimony would throw light on the companies alleged investment of over Rs 990 crore relating to 2G spectrum in Swan Telecom.

Notwithstanding the apex court’s decision to hearRTL’s plea, the trial court issued summons to Anil Ambani to appear before it on Friday.

The trial court had on July 19 allowed CBI’s plea that the testimony of Anil and Tina Ambani may throw light on alleged investment of over Rs 990 crore by his group companies in Swan Telecom, facing trial in the case along with its promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka.