SC to seal Chidambaram's fate in the 2G scam today

New Delhi, Feb 2: With the 2G spectrum scam probe still in doldrums, the Supreme Court is slated to deliver some landmark judgements in the case today. Among the case being heard, the most important one will be the one that will decide on the Home Minister P Chidambaram's involvement in the biggest multi-million telecom scam.

The other case that will be heard will be related to cancelling of the 2G telecom licenses to the scam-tainted companies and finally the decision is likely to be made on whether a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should oversee the CBI probe on the 2G scam.

The judgements will be made by Justice GS Singhvi. The star petitioners in the scam are none others than Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy and noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan.

Cancellation of 2G licences

This matter is being brought to court by petitioners Prashant Bhushan and Subramanian Swamy who are seeking the cancellation of licenses allotted by former Telecom Minister A Raja. Swamy argues that Raja allotted the licenses in 2008 at throwaway rates when the original price was higher by manifold. The PIL filed in this regard states that the licenses granted on the 'first come first serve' basis was arbitrary and malafide and could have been averted if Chidambaram took matters under control.

With as many as 122 licenses at stake, the verdict by the apex court will have consequences across the telecom sector. Another fact is that 85 of the 122 licenses did not even fulfill basic eligibility conditions. The role of Home Minister P Chidambaram is also being probed in the SC with Swamy vehemently stating that he was an equal partner in the conspiracy. In the event of Chidambaram landing guilty, the verdict could injure the UPA govt adversely.

Swamy also mentioned in his petition on the fact that there were shifts in the cut-off date of receiving applications for telecom licenses that was changed from Oct 1, 2007 to Sept 25, 2007 to benefit vested interests.

Bhushan's plea for SIT probe

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has complicated matters for the CBI that is probing the complex 2G spectrum scam when he asked for the constitution of an SIT to oversee the CBI probe into the 2G scam.

In the event of the apex court agreeing to this proposition, the CBI's investigation will be monitored on daily basis. Bhushan also questioned on why industrialist Anil Ambani has not been chargesheeted and why Datacom was given a clean chit in the scam. Questions were raised also on why Dayanidhi Maran was not chargesheeted and on why the CBI is not going after the money trail.

Bhushan stated that if the SIT is not formed then there are high chances that the prosecution's case might collapse and that the accused might find ways to slip off.

OneIndia News