2G: Notice to all accused on CBI’s plea to call Anil Ambani as witness

A Delhi court today issued notices to all the accused in the 2G spectrum case seeking their response on July 3 on a plea by the CBI seeking to call 17 more prosecution witnesses, including Reliance ADA Group Chairman Anil Ambani and his wife Tina Ambani.

Special CBI Judge O.P. Saini issued notices after Special Public Prosecutor U.U. Lalit told the court that their testimonies are required to be recorded “to arrive at the truth“.

“Issue notices to the accused persons for July 3,” the judge said, adding that he would decide on July 3 as to whether it would seek a reply from the accused on a separate CBI plea seeking to recall Department of Telecommunications (DoT) official Nitin Jain as a witness in the case.

During the hearing, Lalit told the court that these witnesses are required to be called for recording of their statements to ascertain the truth.

He told the court that some documents regarding transaction of money have been received from the banks and these witnesses are required to be examined in that context.

Seeking to call Anil Ambani as a witness in the case, Lalit said that being the head of Reliance ADAG, his testimony is required regarding transaction of money between his various alleged companies.

“Unless and until we have this part (about money transaction) coming from the top, I do not think the task will be complete,” the prosecutor said.

Besides Anil and Tina Ambani, the CBI is seeking to call other witnesses including a former advisor to the TRAI, some bank officials and other CFSL experts.

Lalit told the court that the CBI had recorded Anil Ambani’s statement under Section 161 of the CrPC during the probe into the case but it was not placed before the court earlier as the Reliance ADAG Chairman was not arrayed as a prosecution witness in the case.

He sought the court’s permission to place Ambani’s statement before it today itself but the judge said that he will deal with the issue after going through the reply filed by the accused.

The CBI also moved an application seeking to recall prosecution witness Nitin Jain, whose statement has already been recorded saying that there “appears to be slight inconsistency” in his testimony regarding the cut off date.

The CBI’s plea to call Anil Ambani as a witness assumes importance as three top Reliance ADAG executives—— Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair—— are accused in the case and were granted bail after spending nearly seven months in jail.

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