2G: Vinod Goenka moves HC against charge-framing
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today issued notice to CBI and sought its response on the plea of DB Realty MD Vinod Goenka challenging the order on framing of charges against him by the trial court in the 2G scam case.
"Issue notice to CBI for March 13," Justice M L Mehta said while admitting the petition of Goenka.
Goenka was arrested on April 20, 2011 for his alleged role in the scam and was granted bail on November 23, 2011 by the Supreme Court.
So far, ten accused in the 2G case have moved the high court challenging the trial court order of October 22 last year on framing of charges on all 17 accused.
The ten accused who have moved the high court include Goenka, Former Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura, Reliance ADAG officials, Group Managing Director Gautam Doshi, Senior Vice President Hari Nair and Group President Surendra Pipara and Sanjay Chandra, Managing Director of Unitech, Rajeev Agarwal and Asif Balwa, directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Private Ltd.
Telecom firms, Reliance Telecom Ltd and Unitech, have also challenged the order of the lower court on the issue.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini had framed charges against the 17 accused for offences of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery and abuse of official position under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Special Judge had said Goenka along with Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa and others, was prima facie involved in the money trail and "created false documents to show the bribe amount of Rs 200 crore (from DB Group to DMK -run Kalaignar TV) as loan and with a view to use them in any stage of judicial proceedings and thereby committed offence punishable under section 193 (giving false evidence) read with 120B IPC (criminal conspir
CBI, in its charge sheets, had alleged the accused had conspired and caused a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the state exchequer in the grant of 2G licenses to various telecom firms in 2008.