Order reserved on Swamy plea for Chidambaram’s trial (Lead)
January 22nd, 2012 - 3:09 am ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Saturday reserved till Feb 4 its order on a plea by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy to haul Home Minister P. Chidambaram in the court in the 2G spectrum case.
“The order is reserved for Feb 4,” said CBI Special Judge O.P. Saini.
The court reserved its order after Swamy concluded his final argument seeking prosecution of Chidambaram in the case.
Swamy told the court that former communications minister A. Raja committed the irregularities in connivance with Chidambaram, who was then the finance minister.
He submitted Friday that prima facie Chidambaram conspired and colluded with Raja to commit the offence of “criminal misconduct”.
“The evidence brought before the court is sufficient to show that Chidambaram, as the then finance minister, has prima facie committed offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other criminal laws,” Swamy said.
He added that Chidambaram did not call for a cabinet meeting on spectrum prices as he had colluded, conspired and consented with Raja. Chidambaram, along with Raja, was empowered by an October 2003 cabinet decision to discuss the spectrum price issue.
Swamy said two companies which received the telecom licences sold their shares to others even before the rollout of their services.
He sought prosecution of Chidambaram in the case, saying the decision on spectrum pricing was taken in 2008 jointly by him and Raja, who has been lodged in the Tihar Jail here since Feb 2, 2011. He alleged that Chidambaram and Raja were equally guilty of recommending spectrum prices based on the 2001 rates.
Raja is among the 14 people, including corporate honchos, who have been arrested in the scam. Kanimozhi, a DMK Rajya Sabha member and daughter of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi, was also arrested in the case. All the arrested people, except Raja and former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura, have been freed on bail.
-Indo-Asian News Service
akk/rah/vt
- Raja committed offence in active connivance with Chidambaram: Swamy (Roundup) - Dec 17, 2011
- 2G: Swamy deposes against Chidambaram (Second Lead) - Dec 17, 2011
- Order reserved on Swamy plea seeking Chidambaram's prosecution - Jan 21, 2012
- Relief for Chidambaram as court dismisses Swamy's plea (Second Lead) - Feb 04, 2012
- Chidambaram's alleged complicity in 2G scam to be decided Saturday - Feb 03, 2012
- Swamy moves SC to make Chidambaram an accused - Feb 24, 2012
- 2G: Court adjourns hearing for two days - Feb 01, 2012
- Chidambaram allocated extra spectrum to 2G licence holders: Swamy - Apr 20, 2012
- 2G: Swamy submits documents against Chidambaram (Lead) - Jan 07, 2012
- Timeline of the 2G case - Feb 04, 2012
- 2G case: Swamy deposes against Chidambaram (Lead) - Dec 17, 2011
- Apex court reserves order on Chidambaram in 2G case - Apr 24, 2012
- Swamy to depose against Chidambaram - Dec 08, 2011
- 2G case: Order reserved on Swamy's plea (Lead) - Dec 03, 2011
- 2G: Swamy submits documents against Chidambaram - Jan 07, 2012
Tags: cabinet decision, cabinet meeting, cbi court, central bureau of investigation, chief minister, connivance, corporate honchos, criminal misconduct, dmk, finance minister, home minister, m karunanidhi, party president, prevention of corruption act, raja, rajya sabha member, siddhartha, special judge, tamil nadu, tihar jail