The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBI what action it has taken against beneficiaries of the 2G spectrum scam against whom there is prima facie evidence.

It told the CBI to go after these beneficiaries even if they are millionaires or feature in the Forbes rich list and find out their role in the conspiracy on the matter of 2G licences. The court said, “We have large number of persons who feel they are a law unto themselves. The law must catch them. Merely because they are in the list of Forbes or millionaires does not make any difference.”

The apex court also asked the Centre to set up a special court exclusively to hear the 2G case. Expressing concern that the CBI's freedom in conducting the probe seems to be curtailed by short period of police remand of the accused, the court said the CBI must have a free hand to investigate and question anyone.

The Supreme Court also told the CBI to submit the chargesheet before it for its scrutiny prior to filing the same in the trial court. The apex court directed that no other court shall pass any order in connection with the 2G case that may impede the investigation.

Meanwhile, the CBI assured the court that it would file its first chargesheet in the 2G scam by March 31, 2011. The investigating agency sought three more months from that date to submit the details of the role of banks and the transactions involved therein. The CBI said that by May 31, it would complete the probe into the spectrum allocation between 2001 and 2006. During the hearing, the CBI and Enforcement Directorate submitted status reports on the progress of the probe.

On setting up a special court for the 2G case, the Attorney General, Mr G. E. Vahanvati, sought a fortnight's time to consult the concerned authorities and report back to the court. The court will hear this aspect again on March 1.

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