New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday exempted Bharti Airtel CMD Sunil Mittal from personal appearance in a trial court in connection with a 2G spectrum allocation case. The apex court formally issued a notice on Mittal's plea and asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit its reply within four weeks.
After recusal of two judges, a new bench was constituted in the Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear the petitions of Mittal and Essar Group promoter Ravi Ruia in a case of alleged irregularities related to allocation of additional 2G spectrum in 2002. Justice SS Nijjar would be the new judge sitting with Chief Justice Altamas Kabir to hear the matter on April 29. Justice Vikramajit Sen had on April 15 and Justice AR Dave had on April 18 recused themselves from hearing the matter.
Both the judges had opted out from hearing the matter without giving any reason. Mittal and Ruia have challenged the summons issued to them as accused in the case by the trial court. The CJI had earlier said a new bench will be constituted to hear the matter and in the meantime, the proceedings pending before the trial court will remain "postponed" for another week.
During the earlier hearing, CBI had said the matter should be referred to another bench headed by justice GS Singhvi, which has been monitoring the development into the investigation into the 2G spectrum scam and cases arising out of its probe.
The bench headed by justice Singhvi had ordered the CBI probe into the allocation of 2G spectrum when A Raja was Telecom Minister and additional spectrum issued in 2002 during NDA rule when late Pramod Mahajan was Telecom Minister. Mittal and Ruia had appeared before the trial court on April 16 in pursuance to the apex court's earlier order and also furnished personal bonds which were accepted by Special CBI Judge OP had Saini.
(With additional information from PTI)
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