2G case: Prashant Bhushan moves SC against CBI

The affidavit field by him alleges that the CBI did not conduct a proper probe into former union minister Dayanidhi Maran's role in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan today filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court against the CBI in 2G case. The affidavit alleges that the agency did not conduct proper probe into former union minister Dayanidhi Maran's role in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case.

Bhushan accused the CBI of overlooking vital facts. The CBI had on September 1 told the Supreme Court that Maran, who was the telecom minister during the UPA-I rule, wasn't found to have coerced in finalising the sale of Aircel to Malaysia-based Maxis group.

The CBI told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it had found no evidence so far to suggest that former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK had coerced Aircel founder C Sivasankaran to sell his stake to Malaysia-based Maxis Communications.

However, senior advocate KK Venugopal said on behalf of the agency that it had evidence to show a deliberate delay in the grant of a 2G spectrum licence to Aircel and that the probe would continue.

Presenting the CBI’s latest status report on Thursday, Venugopal told a bench of justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly that the CBI would complete its investigation by September 30.

The CBI has been probing allegations that Maran, telecom minister from May 2004 to May 2007, had coerced the Aircel founder to sell his company to Maxis, owned by a close friend of his, and then arranged for a spectrum licence to be granted to Aircel.

The CBI statement on the absence of evidence suggesting coercion by Maran was received with joy by the DMK in Chennai, with party leaders saying that jailed Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi and former telecom minister A Raja would eventually come out unscathed.