Khurshid makes light of Raja's arguments

New Delhi, Jul 26: Virtually dismissing A Raja's arguments in the 2G case, Law Minister Salman Khurshid today (Jul 26) said it was for the court to decide whether there is "any substance" in what the former telecom minister's counsel has submitted to the court.

"You do know, when lawyers appear for someone, they look for anything possible to help their own clients. It is not always that thought is given to what will happen to some other person who is named in this manner," he said here.

At the same time, the minister said that it was for the court to consider "whether there is any substance" in what Raja's counsel has said.

"We have the rule of sub-judice, because if everything that happens in court is commented upon outside, there would a parallel trial going on," he said.

Khurshid said since Chidambaram and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal have clarified their position on the issue, the matter should be allowed to rest there.

Raja today pleaded before the special court that Chidambaram be made a witness in the 2G spectrum case saying he was privy to the matter relating to dilution of equities by Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless to foreign firms, Etisalat and Telenor, respectively.

"The matters relating to dilution of equities to foreign firms by Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless were known to the Prime Minister and then Finance Minister Chidambaram," Raja's counsel said.

In the USA, the court proceedings are telecast live and the whole nation watches them to avoid such a situation, Raja said while accusing the media of misreporting.

Raja had yesterday told the court that "the then Finance Minister, who is now the Home Minister, had said in front of the Prime Minister that dilution of shares does not amount to the sale of 2G licence as per the corporate law." "Let the Prime Minister deny this," he added.

While defending himself against corruption charges in 2G scam, Raja had yesterday also submitted to the court that there was nothing wrong in his decision of not auctioning the 2G spectrum and he was merely following the policies pursued by his predecessors and the NDA government.

PTI