2G: Fresh summons against Essar, Loop execs

Fresh summons were on Frxiday issued to Essar Group Promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia and Loop Telecom promoters IP Khaitan and Kiran Khaitan, in a case arising out of the 2G scam probe after they failed to appear in a local court.

The Special CBI court on Friday issued fresh summons against top executives of Essar Group and Loop telecom, accused in the 2G scam, after they failed to appear before it. The accused are Essar group promoters Anshuman and Ravi Ruia, Loop Telecom Promoters Kiran Khaitan and her husband IP Khaitan.

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Essar Group director (strategy and planning) Vikas Saraf appeared through a lawyer. All the accused have been asked to appear on February 22.

Special CBI judge O P Saini had summoned them on December 21, 2011 after taking cognisance of CBI's third chargesheet which also named three companies—Loop telecom, Loop mobile India and Essar Tele Holding as accused.

Fresh summons were issued after lawyers appearing for accused Saraf and three accused firms, said summons were not "duly" served on the four accused who were at present in Dubai.

CBI alleges that Essar used Loop as a front company to get telecom licences in 2008. It said Essar, which already had a 33% stake in Vodafone, held substantial equity in Loop and thus violated telecom licence norms.

Essar said in a statement: "We are not part of 2G scam. Only charge against us pertains to interpretation of clause 8 of the UAS Licence guidelines, which being a civil matter, can only be tried by a magistrate as it is merely a contractual issue".