2G case: Delhi HC admits CBI’s appeal challenging acquittal of A Raja, others

The Delhi high court on Friday admitted the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal challenging acquittal of former telecom minister A Raja, firms and others in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said on the basis of the material on record and the submissions made by the lawyers for the parties, a prima facie case is made out by the CBI which requires deeper examination.

“The court on the basis of material on record sworn testimonies and the impugned judgement, is of an opinion that a prima case facie has been made out which requires deeper examination of the entire evidence,” a bench of justice Sharma said.

Also Read: 2G case: Delhi HC dismisses plea challenging Centre’s decision making process relating to CBI appeal

The CBI had alleged that there was a loss of ₹30,984 crore to the exchequer in allocation of licences for 2G spectrum which were scrapped by the Supreme Court on February 2, 2012.

A special court had on December 21, 2017, acquitted Raja, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi and others in the CBI and the ED cases related to the 2G spectrum allocation case.

On March 19, 2018, ED approached the high court, challenging a special court’s December 2017 order acquitting all the accused in the case, claiming that this was a “classic case” of money laundering and that the special CBI judge, while acquitting the accused persons, “wrongly interpreted” the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

A day later, the CBI too challenged the acquittal of the accused in the high court. In its appeal, CBI has argued that the 2017 acquittal judgment in the 2G case can have a major impact on corruption cases in the country.