Court allows Raja to depose as witness in 2G scam case

Former telecom minister and a key accused A Raja in 2G spectrum allocation scam case is allowed to depose as witness in the ongoing trial by a Delhi court, who had also deposed as an accused that all the decisions were taken with then prime minister’s concurrence. 

While recording his statements as accused, Raja on 5 May had said that he did not take any unilateral decisions on spectrum allocations and all decisions were taken after discussions with other cabinet ministers, which was done after apprising the then Prime Minister and taking his concurrence. 

Now at the stage of summoning defence witnesses in the trail, Raja has mentioned that he wants to examine himself as witness ‘The applicant (Raja) wishes to examine himself as a witness in the present trial,’ Raja has said in his application. 

While fixing 1 July for recording of defence witness, special CBI judge OP Saini has allowed Raja’s plea. ‘The accused (Raja) wishes to examine himself as a witness in his own defence and the application has been filed under his own signature. Not opposed. Allowed. The accused is at liberty to examine himself as a witness in his own defence,’ the judge said.

The court while allowing plea of other accused for seeking to summons some witnesses in their defence in the case said that CBI does not have any objection to it. ‘Prosecution (CBI) has no objection to the summoning of the witnesses as requested by these accused. I also find that the list submitted by these accused is quite reasonable, Accordingly, their prayer is allowed,’ the court said.

Raja is facing trial in the 2G case along with Kanimozhi, Behura, Raja’s private secretary RK Chandolia, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Sanjay Chandra and Reliance ADAG executives Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair and others. 

After they were charged by CBI under various provision of corruption act, the court had framed charges against them on 22 October, 2011 with offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, faking documents, abusing official position, criminal misconduct by public servant and taking bribe.