NEW DELHI, Sept 6:
A Delhi court trying the 2G spectrum allocation scam case today said it would not adjourn or defer the proceedings any more on plea by any accused person, including former Telecom Minister A Raja.
The court’s remark came in wake of recent adjournments of the proceedings on pleas by Raja and others in the case as they were not ready to cross-examine various witnesses after depositions by them.
The court had yesterday also taken strong exception to Raja’s refusal to cross examine a CBI witness and had asked all the accused not to “create unfriendly conditions” in the court.
“You all (accused) note down this that I will not defer or adjourn the matter on anybody’s request. If any accused is not prepared or ready to cross-examine the witness, then the other one should be ready on that day,” Special CBI Judge O P Saini said.
During the hearing, the court asked Raja whether he would start cross-examining key CBI witness A K Srivastava, a former deputy director general in the Department of Telecom (DoT) from September 10, the date fixed by it after the DMK MP had sought time to commence Srivastava’s cross-examination.
Raja answered in affirmative saying he would be ready for the cross-examination from September 10.
The judge was annoyed yesterday also when Raja pleaded that the proceedings be deferred as he does not want to cross examine prosecution witness and erstwhile DoT Member (services) G S Grover at this stage.
Srivastava’s testimony assumes significance in the case as he had told the court that Raja was the “final authority” to take decisions on policy matters.
He had also deposed that Raja had communicated to the Prime Minister about the policy for distribution of licences “at his level” and the issues involved in it were “not processed” in the DoT files.
According to the CBI charge sheet, there was a loss of over Rs 30,000 crore to the exchequer in the allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008 during the tenure of Raja.
Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi, along with others, are facing trial for various offences like criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and faking documents under the Indian Penal Code and for the offences of abusing official position, getting bribe and criminal misconduct by public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The offences entail punishment ranging from six months in jail to life imprisonment. (PTI)
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