2G case: CBI court hearing on jurisdiction issue deferred

A special court will hear arguments later this month on the petitions of two firms challenging its jurisdiction to conduct trial of 2002 additional spectrum case in which they have been charge-sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The matter was scheduled for Monday. But it was deferred to May 23 as the Special CBI Judge O P Saini remained on leave.

Hutchison Max Private Limited and Sterling Cellular Limited, facing trial in the additional spectrum case of 2002, have challenged the jurisdiction of the special CBI court to conduct the trial of their case.

The two accused firms moved separate petitions in the court questioning its jurisdiction on March 4, on the day the court was scheduled to hear arguments on the point of framing of charges against all the accused in the case and a bail application of former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh.

The CBI, recently, submitted its reply on the petitions of the two companies. But, the matter could not be taken up for hearing by the court as one of the two companies later filed a rejoinder and the CBI requested the court to give some time to prepare its reply.

On the request of CBI Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover on April 16, the special CBI judge fixed May 11 as the next date to hear the arguments on the two petitions as both CBI as well as defence counsels agreed to it.

Along with hearing on the petitions of the two companies, the court also deferred the date for hearing arguments on the framing of charges against all the accused and bail application of former telecom secretary Shyamal Ghosh, saying all these matters will be taken up together on May 11.

The CBI has charge-sheeted Hutchison Max Private Limited, Sterling Cellular Limited and other accused in the case for causing an estimated loss of Rs 846 crore to public exchequer by illegal allocation of additional spectrum during the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance regime in 2002. Ghosh and Bharti Cellular Limited are also accused in the case.