Reliance Telecom Ltd seeks discharge in 2G case by using Law Ministry report

NEW DELHI: Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL), an accused in 2G spectrum allocation scam, on Wednesday told a Delhi court that a report of the Law Ministry exonerates it as its stake in alleged beneficiary Swan Telecom was below 10 per cent.

The counsel for RTL sought discharge from the case saying initially the Anil Ambani-promoted firm held 9.9 per cent shares in Swan Telecom Private Ltd (STPL).

However, at the time of grant of license to STPL, RTL had no stakes in it and hence both companies, as per the Law Ministry report, cannot be termed "associate" of each other, S Ganesh, counsel for RTL, told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

The report of the Ministry of Law and Justice says an existing licensee telecom firm should have more than 10 per cent stakes in another firm at the time of grant of unified access services licenses (UASL) to the latter for being termed as associate, he said.