2G case: Special Court allows CBI plea to summon additional witnesses

NEW DELHI: The CBI plea seeking to summon some additional prosecution witnesses, including Enforcement Directorate deputy director Rajeshwar Singh in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case involving former telecom minister A Raja and others, was today allowed by a Special Court.

"Application is allowed," Special CBI judge O P Saini said.

The court had on November 11 reserved its order after hearing the arguments on the plea which was opposed by former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others who are facing trial in the case.

While Raja and Kanimozhi had questioned the legality of the CBI plea at the fag end of the trial, some of the other co-accused had argued that the agency's intentions were malafide and it was delaying the trial as the evidence in the case has already been closed.

Special Public Prosecutor Anand Grover had argued that under provisions of the CrPC even after closing of evidence in a case, an application for summoning material witnesses was maintainable.

He had submitted that at this stage, the witnesses and documents which the agency wished to call were relevant and he would complete recording of evidence of these five witnesses in a week.

CBI had moved the plea seeking court's permission to summon some prosecution witnesses and to place additional documents on record, saying they were necessary to arrive at the truth.

Besides Rajeshwar Singh, CBI has sought permission to call ED's Assistant Director Satyendra Singh, Under Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Navil Kapur and bank official D Mani.

Apart from these four persons, the agency has sought to recall General Manager (Finance) of Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd G Rajendran, who had earlier deposed as a witness in the case, for further examination.