Court asks CBI to give copy of file on 2G scam to Subramanian Swamy

NEW DELHI Nov 9 : Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday moved a special CBI court seeking a copy of a file relating to 2G spectrum allocation scam that was seized by CBI two years ago. Swamy alleged that the document would prove the "complicity" of the then finance minister P Chidambaram in the scam. 

In an application before the court, Swamy said the file, relating to the Unified Access Services Licences (UASL) policy regarding sale of equity (lock-in period), was seized by CBI on October 22, 2009, during investigation. "These documents, with endorsements and signatures of P Chidambaram, prove his complicity in the instant scam," he said. 

Allowing his plea, special CBI judge O P Saini directed CBI to provide a certified copy of the document to Swamy. The court, which had first asked Swamy to inspect the court records, directed CBI to submit the file after it found that the agency had not placed the file on record along with the chargesheets filed. 

"Ahlmad (court staff) has reported that this file was not placed on record of this court along with the chargesheet by CBI. Complainant (Swamy) submits that he may be allowed to take the photocopy of the said file from the record of the CBI itself. After hearing the complainant, I am satisfied that a copy/certified copy of the aforesaid file would facilitate the prosecution of this complaint case. Accordingly, the CBI is directed to supply photocopy/certified copy of the file to the complainant at the earliest," the judge said. 

During the hearing, Swamy told the court that he had applied to CBI for a certified copy of the file through a letter written to them on October 10. He said that in reply, CBI joint director Hitesh C Awasthy told him to approach the special court, before which the proceedings of the case were going on. 

Along with his application, Swamy also annexed CBI's seizure memo, according to which the agency had conducted searches at the office premises of Access Services Cell of the Department of Telecom on October 22, 2009. During the search, 59 documents were seized by CBI which included the file relating to the UASL policy regarding sale of equity (lock-in period). 
The court permitted Swamy to have a copy of the file from CBI after he said this file was necessary for the case. Meanwhile, the court deferred the matter till December 3 after Swamy said the order on his plea seeking a CBI probe against Chidambaram in the 2G scam was pending before the Supreme Court. 

Speaking to mediapersons outside the court, Swamy said the file, which the CBI will provide him in pursuance to the court's order, was "very crucial" for the case. He said that on the next date of hearing, he would argue for Chidambaram to be made an accused in the case. 

As per the CBI's chargesheet, Shahid Balwa-promoted Swan Telecom was allotted UASL for 13 circles for Rs 1,537 crore and it offloaded 45% of its shares in the licences before the rollout to UAE-based Etisalat for Rs 4,200 crore. Besides Swan, Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Pvt Ltd offloaded 60% of its shares to Norway-based Telenor for Rs 6,200 crore, CBI had said.
Source : TOI