2G scam: Special CBI court to pronounce verdict on Dec 21

A special CBI court's verdict in the multi-crore 2G spectrum allocation scam against former telecom minister A Raja and others will be delivered on December 21.

Special CBI judge O P Saini, who has kept the verdict reserved since April, announced the date for pronouncement of judgement on Tuesday.

The court will also pronounce its verdict on December 21 in a related case in which Essar Group promoters Ravikant Ruia and Anshuman Ruia, as well as Loop Telecom promoters Kiran Khaitan and her husband I P Khaitan, are accused among others.

The accused, including Raja and DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi, were present in the court on Tuesday.

"Do I look nervous to you. Let's see," Kanimozhi told reporters when her comments were sought outside the court.

The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have filed separate cases against Raja and others in the main case.

The CBI filed the case against Raja and others in connection with the scam about six years ago.

The ED filed a separate case against them in 2014 on the basis of the CBI's charge sheet, accusing Raja and others of money laundering.

In its charge sheet, the CBI claimed that Raja, in collusion with other accused, caused a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the exchequer.

Seventeen people, including three private companies, are accused in the CBI case. In the ED case, there are 19 accused, including Raja and nine private companies.

The court began the trial in the CBI case in October 2011 and framed charges against the accused, including DMK chief M Karunanidhi's ailing wife M K Dayalu, under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

Apart from Raja, former telecom secretary Sidharth Behura, Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, as well as managing director of Unitech Ltd Sanjay Chandra, are accused in the main case.

During the trial, the CBI court examined 154 prosecution witnesses, including Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, his wife Tina and former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.