O P Saini: 2G spectrum judge, an ex-cop, also ruled in Red Fort case

NEW DELHI: Those who have seen special CBI judge O P Saini at work, point out how he immersed himself in the intricacies of the voluminous paperwork of the 2G spectrum allocation case.

In his judgment, special CBI judge O P Saini himself points out that he “religiously” sat in an open court for seven years waiting for someone to produce legally admissible evidence in the 2G scam cases but to no avail. The years he mentions indicate the dedication required to read, consider and judge.

Senior advocate S V Raju, who has been the defence counsel in all the four 2G scam cases, appeared in the Ruia trial for about four years. The Ruia trial — the Loop Telecom case — according to him, is wrongly termed a 2G scam case as there was no allegation of corruption and no public servant was made an accused. “The judgment is well-written and considers the voluminous records of the case, including the evidence in detail, uninfluenced by the unusual publicity,” he said.


On Thursday, Saini acquitted all the accused persons in three cases related to the 2G case and gave three detailed verdicts with reasonings.

Saini, who belongs to Haryana, started his career as a sub-inspector in the Delhi police in the early 1980s and was selected for the Delhi judicial service after clearing a competitive exam. He has had to try several high-profile cases, including the Red Fort attack case in which he awarded death to the main accused and varying jail terms to the others. Saini is also among the few trial court judges who rate round-the-clock “Y-category” security. A source said Saini still has roughly three years to retirement and, due to seniority, is eligible for appointment as a district judge.

Advocate Sushil Kumar Bajaj, one of the counsels for Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra, praised Saini for being thorough. Bajaj said Saini knew the case inside out and showed nerves of steel. Another lawyer called Saini “a tough judge” who considered multiple layers of the case.