JOIN USA special court here will start hearing a case on February 19, in which public exchequer incurred a loss of Rs 846 crore due to allocation of additional spectrum.
The spectrum was allocated during erstwhile National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime in 2002. Two years ago, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had submitted chargsheet against four accused including former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh.
The case was listed for hearing the arguments of the prosecution and defence on the point of framing of charges against the four accused and also a bail application, moved by Ghosh, on Friday.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini, however, adjourned the hearing and fixed February 19 as the next date for it after the counsels of the accused sought more time to examine the documents of the case and prepare their arguments accordingly. The prosecution did not oppose the plea made by the defence.
Giving a fresh date for hearing, however, the court made it clear to both the parties in advance that it intended to hear the case on a daily basis after framing of charges against the accused, describing it as an “important case.”
One of the defence lawyers wanted the court to give time till first week of March to enable them examine the documents of the case properly and prepare the arguments but the Special CBI Judge rejected the plea, holding that such a long duration cannot be given.
Besides Ghosh, telecom firms Bharti Cellular, Hutchison Max Telecom, now Vodafone India and Sterling Cellular, which is now known as Vodafone Mobile Service, are accused in the case.
The CBI had submitted charge sheet against the accused on December 21, 2012, for committing criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Court (IPC) and offences under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Hearing of the case was virtually stalled since April 26, 2013 after the Supreme Court passed an interim order holding that proceedings will remain "postponed" until further orders as Bharti Cellular CMD Sunil Bharti Mittal and Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia had challenged the special CBI court's order to summon them as accused in the case.
The apex court recently quashed the special CBI court’s order against Mittal and Ruia, paving the way for begining of the hearing of the case at the trial court.