2G scam: Interference by defence lawyers irks judge

NEW DELHI: "Interference" by defence lawyers during the proceedings in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case today infuriated the judge who warned them that they would be asked to go out of the court.

Special CBI judge O P Saini asked the defence counsel not to interfere in his work saying he would send everyone out.

The judge got "irritated" when the defence counsel kept interfering and telling the judge and the court staff what is to be recorded during the cross examination of second prosecution witness, A N Sethuraman, Group President of Reliance ADAG.

"What is this? You (defence lawyers) people are interfering in my job and you are dictating (the statement) in my place," the judge said.

He said if the counsel and their clients kept on doing this then he would sent everyone out from the court room.

"I am seeing this since morning. I am getting irritated now. Your act is disturbing me. Only I will dictate the statement to my staff. I will tell staff what to write and what not.

"I will disperse the crowd from the court and in a minute the crowd (including lawyers, relatives of the accused and media persons) would be sent out," the judge said.

One of the defence counsel Vijay Agarwal, who was cross examining Sethuraman, apologised to the court and said no one will dictate the statement from now onwards.

"Whoever wants to say anything, they will speak to me only and then I will tell that point to you (judge). You will only dictate it to your staff what to write," the counsel said.

The cross examination of Sethuraman remained inconclusive and would continue tomorrow.