CBI worried as 2G case judge set to retire

NEW DELHI: The CBI along with the Government are watching carefully as Supreme Court judge, Justice A K Ganguly, whose bench is monitoring the 2G probe cases, is expected to pass verdicts on three crucial matters before he retires on February 2 this year.

The verdicts will decide the fate of Home Minister P Chidambaram; whether 122 licences given out by former telecom minister A Raja could be cancelled; and whether a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be set up to day-to-day monitor the 2G cases.

The SC bench comprising Justice Ganguly and Justice G S Singhvi had heard these matters and reserved the verdict. A judge is expected to deliver his ‘reserved’ verdict before retirement. However, in case the verdict is not passed, the matter has to be heard again by a new judge.

Among the three cases, the CBI is concerned most about the outcome of cases pertaining to Chidambaram and formation of SIT. In both, petitioners have cast aspersions on the fairness of CBI’s investigation carried out in the 2G case.

On October 10, 2011, the bench of Justice Singhvi and Ganguly had reserved verdict on plea filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy seeking a CBI probe into the role of Chidambaram in deciding the 2G spectrum price along with Raja.

The bench had also reserved verdict on Centre of Public Interest Litigation’s plea to supervise the CBI’s probe into 2G scam by SIT on a day-to-day basis. Earlier on March 18 last year, it had reserved the verdict on a petition for cancellation of 122 2G licences illegally granted in 2008.

The double bench has been hearing the 2G cases since the apex court admitted PIL in 2010, demanding court-monitored probe into the matter. After lengthy court battle, the bench delivered the landmark judgement directing the CBI, ED and Income Tax department to start probe under their supervision. It also provided for setting up a special court and special public prosecutor to hear the case on day-to-day basis.