2G: SC refers Chidambaram’s case to trial court

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2G: SC refers Chidambaram’s case to trial court
Clean Media Correspondent

New Delhi, Feb 02 (CMC): The Supreme Court on Friday referred P Chidambaram’s case to the trial court on a plea seeking a direction for a probe into his alleged role in the 2G spectrum scam.

The Apex Court, pronouncing its verdict said that it is up to the trial court to decide on probe against Chidambaram and has also asked the trial court to decide on Home Minister within 2 weeks.

SC has however refused to direct CBI to probe the role of Chidambaram in the case. 

The role of Chidambaram in the 2G scam was raised in the Supreme Court by the petitioners who had pointed out that there was evidence on record showing that the decision regarding pricing of spectrum was taken jointly by him and Raja.

A Finance Ministry note to the PMO signed by Pranab Mukherjee was also taken on record by the apex court in which it was stated that the scam could have been averted had Chidambram suggested the policy of auction instead of first-come-first-served policy on allocation of spectrum.

The Centre and CBI had vehemently opposed any probe against Chidambram who was the Finance Minister at the time of allotment of spectrum in 2008.

They had maintained that Chidambaram was not in direct communication with the then Telecom Minister A Raja in determining the price of the radio waves.

However, the petitioners had refuted the claims of CBI and the Centre that Chidambaram was not in the picture till January, 10, 2008, when the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) headed by Raja issued 122 Letters of Intent (LoIs) to telecom companies without following the policy of auction.

The petitioners including CPIL's counsel Prashant Bhushan had contended Chidambaram was "consistently" informed of what was going on and "till November 30, 2007, Chidambaram was apprised of what Raja was upto".

They further said the Finance Ministry officials were for allocation of spectrum through auction but they were overruled by Chidambaram.